A
"quiet powerhouse" is the label one top sporting director tagged Marina
Granovskaia with having heard about her negotiating prowess from a number of
agents before experiencing it himself.
Roman Abramovich's trusted lieutenant departs Chelsea, where she controlled
day-to-day dealings and was their transfer chief, in what is a significant
loss for the club.
The Russian-Canadian executive has been the most influential woman in the
Premier League - and quite possibly European football - but is fiercely
private and has never courted publicity.
Chelsea's staggering success, powered by Abramovich's riches, was contoured
by Granovskaia's decisions. She pulled the strings when the club moved to
their Cobham training complex, which opened in 2007 and was even instructive
in the lucrative long-term sponsorship deal secured with Nike.
Granovskaia was key to building the relationship with Dutch club Vitesse
Arnhem which has acted as a development hub for Chelsea's talented
youngsters.
Other clubs, most notably Liverpool, cottoned on to Chelsea's mini-business
of selling incredibly well.
Granovskaia's departure will be felt in all areas of the club and while she
never cared for headlines, she'll exit with plenty of acclaim in a football
context.
Granovskaia's relationship with Abramovich
She has been one of Abramovich's closest allies for over two decades, having
first met the billionaire when he took over Russian oil company Sibneft in
1997.
Granovskaia, who graduated from Moscow State University, moved to London
when the oligarch purchased Chelsea in 2003 and became, as one source put
it, "the voice inside his head".
Chelsea's recently-confirmed
board members
Behdad Eghbali and Jose E. Feliciano (co-controlling owners of
Chelsea, and co-founders and managing partners of Clearlake Capital)
Mark Walter (co-owner of Chelsea, co-founder and CEO of Guggenheim
Partners, owner of Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Lakers, and Los
Angeles Sparks)
Hansjorg Wyss (co-owner of Chelsea and founder of the Wyss
Foundation)
Jonathan Goldstein (co-owner of Chelsea, co-founder and CEO of Cain
International)
Barbara Charone (director and co-founder of MBC PR)
Lord Daniel Finkelstein OBE (columnist and former executive editor
of The Times)
James Pade (partner and managing director of Clearlake Capital) |
Abramovich respected her take on all matters concerning the club and she
joined the board in 2013, becoming one of their four plc directors.
The bond between Granovskaia and Chelsea's former owner has prompted her
exit. Her loyalty remains to Abramovich and the new custodians - a
consortium fronted by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital - want their own
people in charge to execute a fresh vision.
Chelsea fixtures: Lampard's Everton first
up, then Spurs
Chelsea kick-off their 2022/23 season with a trip to Frank Lampard's Everton
live on Sky Sports before hosting London rivals Spurs in their first home
game.
Thomas Tuchel's side face a reunion with Blues legend Lampard at Goodison
Park on August 6, kick-off 5.30pm, before Tottenham visit Stamford Bridge a
week later.
Chelsea will host Liverpool in West London on September 17, Manchester
United on October 22 and Arsenal on November 5.
Their final fixture before the month-long break for the World Cup is away at
Newcastle, and they continue their campaign on Boxing Day against
newly-promoted Bournemouth.
Chelsea travel to Tottenham on February 25 and Arsenal on April 29, with the
latter the start of a bumper last five games including Manchester City away
on the penultimate weekend of the season and Newcastle at home on the final
day.
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