Gary Neville lays into Roman Abramovich for cowardly approach with Chelsea statement

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Gary Neville has slammed Roman Abramovich for the ‘cowardly’ statement Chelsea released on his behalf on Saturday. The Russian owner has seemingly taken a step back from his primary duties at the club but confused many with vague wording in his message to fans.

His decision comes amid Russia’s worrying invasion of Ukraine over the last week, which has prompted mass uproar globally.

Abramovich explained he was handing over the ‘stewardship and care’ to ‘trustees of Chelsea’s charitable Foundation’.

But it is understood that the Russian billionaire is ‘adament’ that the club isn’t for sale, despite uncertainty over his long-term future at Stamford Bridge.

And Neville has criticised his rare statement, suggesting there was little reason for it if very little has changed, given he is still Chelsea’s owner.

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The ex-Manchester United defender believes Abramovich should’ve instead explained whether he was for or against Vladimir Putin forcing war on Ukraine.

He told Sky Sports: “One of the smartest things that I think Roman Abramovich has done the last 20 years is not speak, not make statements because the statement he made last night left questions than answers.

“In fact, if anything, I thought it was, to be fair, a cowardly approach to sort of throw a hospital pass to good people on the charitable and foundation board when it’s quite clear he runs the club with Marina [Granovskaia] and Petr Cech on the football side.

“Thomas Tuchel’s just made it clear. These owners of the top six clubs are insulated from reality. They think they can put a smart PR team around them and con us with fancy words, but unfortunately, it doesn’t work.

“And, no, there’s no way the charitable foundation at Chelsea are running the club, and I’m not quite sure why Roman Abramovich made that statement.

“If he wanted to make a statement of any note it would of been whether he supports the war at Ukraine or he actually doesn’t support the war at Ukraine.”

MPs have made recent calls that Abramovich shouldn’t be allowed to own a football club in the United Kingdom due to his alleged connections with Putin.

And whether he eventually returns to the forefront of ownership at Chelsea will most likely depend on developments in the nation’s relationship with Russia and whether the UK government pose any significant sanctions.

Despite Abramovich’s statement, which unsurprisingly instantly made worldwide headlines, little seems to have changed with the running of the Blues.

The 55-year-old has invested over £1billion since buying the West London club in 2003 and has overseen a remarkable era in which they have lifted every possible trophy – most recently the Club World Cup earlier this month.

But Abramovich and Chelsea faced penalty shoot-out heartbreak on Sunday, as Liverpool beat them in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley Stadium.

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