John Terry’s current knee injury had provided the former England international and his club a welcome respite from the intense scrutiny of the past 12 months. That was until owner Roman Abramovich made the surprise decision to relieve Roberto Di Matteo of his duties as manager, plunging the club back into the public glare. Terry’s expected three-week spell on the sidelines promised to act as interlude in the ongoing saga at Chelsea, offering a convenient moment to take a step back from the maelstrom of inquiries, handshakes, evidence, and judgements. Yet Di Matteo’s dismissal has once again put the Blues back under the spotlight.
Rafael Benitez’s appointment may yet prove to be an astute move. But the chance to rebuild the tattered public image of the club, by sticking with the well-liked and respected Di Matteo, has been missed. Let it not be forgotten that despite the short time Di Matteo was at the helm, he was forced to carry the weight for an avalanche of media interest in the club’s moral standing. It seems the only man to have emerged from this turbulent year with his integrity in tact, is the man who has been made to take the fall.
Terry’s reputation has been irreparably damaged, yet his absence from the side has coincided with a downturn in results which ironically resulted in the Italian manager losing his job, with the Blues’ stumbling form epitomized by defeats at West Brom and Juventus. Consequently, when Benitez has Terry available for selection, the central defender will no doubt be immediately reinstated. Terry’s international career is now over, but he remains as integral as ever at club level. If a fraction of the loyalty shown to their captain had been given to Di Matteo, then the managerial position at Chelsea would not have undergone this transformation.
Interestingly, Chelsea’s attitude towards Terry in the last few months shows great similarity to the recent developments in the career of pop icon Rihanna. For both, 2012 has been a momentous year, with the two parties reaching their professional zenith: Chelsea were the Champions League winners while Rihanna’s global hit We Found Love surpassed Umbrella as the biggest selling single of her career.
This week, the international pop phenomenon released her seventh studio album, entitled Unapologetic. The album has drawn the attention of the music world for its inclusion of a duet with Chris Brown, the man who pleaded guilty to the assault of Rihanna, his then-girlfriend, in 2009. It appears the female singer has performed an act of overwhelming forgiveness.
There can be no direct link drawn between the personal and psychological relationship between Rihanna and Chris Brown, and the professional relationship between Terry and his club. Yet both Chelsea and Rihanna were presented with a moral dilemma: whether to overlook previous misdemeanors for the potential of future success. Chelsea’s willingness to tolerate Terry’s misconduct in order to win football matches appears strikingly akin to Rihanna’s readiness to collaborate with Chris Brown, with all its prospective commercial gains. Regrettably, this short-termist definition of success, which has manifested itself in Di Matteo’s dismissal, invites the view that a moral compass is a luxury item that cannot be afforded in hardened times, especially when professional prosperity is within reach.
But what of the fans, left disappointed by Abramovich’s decision? Chelsea supporters are in no way condoning racism, in the same way that buying tickets to see a Rihanna concert does not condone domestic abuse. But chanting the player’s name on his return, or having “Terry” printed on your shirt appears as morally ambiguous as downloading the Chris Brown collaboration.
Liverpool fans are presented with a similarly difficult test of their ethical principles now that Luis Suarez, found guilty of racially abusing Patrice Evra by the FA last December, is the league’s top goalscorer and the fulcrum of their team. The ability with which we can separate footballers’ talents from their transgressions, in the same way that Chris Brown’s music can be made distinct from his actions, is a problematic and worrying trend.
Rihanna’s decision to re-establish her ties with Chris Brown offers an interesting correlation to view Chelsea’s actions in recent months, but the similarities should not be overemphasized. Yet it is true that, looking ahead, Chelsea should recognise that sporting history looks fondest on those who have made bold decisions when faced with moral dilemmas; whether that be Mohammad Ali’s decision not to fight in the Vietnam War, or Sir Vivian Richards’ unwillingness to play cricket in apartheid-era South Africa, in spite of the bountiful financial incentives.
The last year has been a litmus test of Chelsea’s moral standing in the game; their failure to build foundations for life without John Terry and their decision to sack Di Matteo suggests an opportunity has been missed. Change was required at Stamford Bridge, but not the change witnessed this week.
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Good way of viewing things – I’m a bit more of a black and white person, myself