Jamie Carragher has accused some Chelsea supporters of “hypocrisy” after he was criticised for suggesting Manchester United should make an approach for Blues head coach Thomas Tuchel.
Tuchel’s long-term future at Chelsea was thrown into doubt last week after the British government sanctioned club owner Roman Abramovich in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Carragher has urged United to consider making a move for Tuchel, describing the German as “one of the best managers in world football”.
In a passionate speech on Monday Night Football, Carragher said he had been criticised by some Chelsea fans for encouraging United to take “advantage” of the uncertainty at Stamford Bridge.
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He hit back at those supporters and argued that Chelsea has operated in a similarly ruthless manner since Abramovich bought the club in 2003.
“It is fair to say I had a few heated discussions at Stamford Bridge yesterday. The Chelsea supporters, the same as any set of supporters, are very passionate about their club and at this moment feel like the world is attacking them,” Carragher said on Sky Sports, ahead of Crystal Palace's Premier League match against Manchester City.
“They are defending their club and I totally get that. There were a few conversations about that and I wouldn’t change my opinion on it.
“The reason I feel like it’s a little bit hypocritical from Chelsea supporters is that if teams, whether that’s Manchester United with the manager or people thinking they can get Chelsea players, [they] are going to take advantage of the situation that they are in right now… Chelsea have been doing that for 20 years.
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“That was the big thing about Roman Abramovich coming. We can throw our money about and get who we want. We’re going to go to Manchester United and the first thing we’ll do… they’ve got a money-making machine at Manchester United, we want to become that.
“We’re going to get Peter Kenyon, their CEO. We’ll go to Liverpool and take the best midfield player in Europe [Steven Gerrard] and destabilise that club for two summers. Didn’t get him. We’ll get Ashley Cole. Invincible – won everything at Arsenal, yeah we’ll get him. We get caught tapping up, it doesn’t matter – we’ll pay the fine.
“England were flying at the time under Sven-Goran Eriksson. England manager, no we want him at Chelsea – it doesn’t matter what he’s doing with the FA or England. We’ll have him and we’ll pay the fine don’t worry.
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“They win the FA Youth Cup every year or they get in the final, not because they have the best coaches or the best academy, because they basically go and take the best players from every club in this country and relocate the family and give the dad a scouting job.
“Chelsea Football Club have taken advantage of every other club in the last 20 years because of Roman Abramovich. So if I’ve got an opinion of someone taking advantage of them… that’s just a fact, it’s a way of life. And that’s the way it may be for Chelsea, they have to accept that.
“Some of the things with Chelsea, in terms of closing the club shop and stopping kids getting Mason Mount on the back of their shirt, I don’t agree with that. And I certainly don’t want Chelsea to go to the wall, I don’t want that at all.
“But if that’s my opinion on it, I certainly don’t want Chelsea fans next time I go there questioning my opinion, because that’s exactly what Chelsea have done for 20 years.”
Topics: Jamie Carragher, Chelsea, Football, Sky Sports, Premier League, Roman Abramovich
Rory O'Callaghan