Chelsea's last title-winning team could not have envisaged the club of today with a Russian owner, American chairman, Portuguese manager, Brazilian assistant and squad of 14 different nationalities. In the modern commercially-driven, television-led soccer world the London side needed elements drawn from all over the globe to transform themselves from perennially fashionable but unreliable also-rans into a footballing power.Roman Abramovich, who bought Chelsea in 2003, has invested some $550 million, most of it on quality players. Chelsea’s first league title since 1955, and only the second in their history, is the Russian’s pay-off in double-quick time.The side’s most influential players, the heart of the team, arrived before the Abramovich and Jose Mourinho revolution, however, and the backbone is resolutely English. Captain John Terry, 24, has a fierce loyalty for the club he joined 10 years ago as a schoolboy. Frank Lampardis a player with scoring power in both feet. He is remarkably reliable and holds the outfield player EPL record for consecutive appearances with 143. Success has been a long time coming and this title could just be the start of the Chelsea era. (Reuters)
