Chelsea owner Todd Boehly has pleaded with fans to have patience as the squad learn to “fold into a team” amid a frustrating season for the London club.
Boehly has come under fire from Chelsea fans in recent weeks, with Maurico Pochettino’s side 11th in the Premier League table.
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A letter from the Chelsea Supporter’s Trust in March slammed the ownership group and said the club had become a “laughing stock.”
Boehly, who completed his takeover of the club in May 2022, has asked for fans to be patient.
“We just need to let the process develop and give them [the team] the time to go from being unbelievable individual players with great skills to fold into a team,” Boehly told Forbes.
“The good news is people care so much. And the bad news is people care so much. That leads to times when they’re frustrated with the team and the owners. I get that, but we just have to continue to stay the course.”
Boehly’s comments come after the letter from the Supporter’s Trust said the “feeling amongst Chelsea supporters in our opinion is at its lowest since the early 1980s.”
“The Chelsea Supporters’ Trust regretfully believes that we are close to, if not already experiencing, a significant shift in supporter opinion that could result in irreversible toxicity, almost irrespective of results on the pitch,” the letter said.
Boehly has spent over £1 billion on transfers since he took over, but fans remain unhappy over a range of issues, including a lack of communication from the owners and rising ticket prices.
Chelsea face Manchester United at Stamford Bridge on Thursday, with much of the success of this season hinging on their FA Cup semifinal against Manchester City on April 20.