Boehly was the face of the Chelsea demise, but sole owner Eghbali equally to blame

After four chaotic, mistake-ridden years as the club’s co-owner, Todd Boehly has sold his stake in Chelsea, leaving Clearlake Capital – led by co-founders Behdad Eghbali and Jose E. Feliciano – in full control of the club.

What does the move mean for the Blues? Eghbali insists that there will be no change to the day-to-day running of the club. Xabi Alonso retains the power over of all things football he was granted when he took over as manager, including a say in the transfer market and the general direction of the club.

The wider concern is over what Eghbali, and to a lesser extent Feliciano, will deliver at the club without Boehly as a hurdle to jump over before decisions are made. An admittedly odd worry given Boehly’s myriad blunders at Stamford Bridge.

From claiming Mohamed Salah and Kevin De Bruyne hailed from the Chelsea academy to making himself sporting director via delivering calls to arms in Thomas Tuchel’s dressing room, the mistakes have been numerous and wide ranging as he immediately became the face of the takeover while Eghbali – astutely as it turned out – remained in the shadows until it was safe-ish to come out.

Amid rumours over the last year that Boehly was looking to sell his shares, the American businessman has taken a step back, with Eghbali becoming the figurehead, making statements and taking responsibility for the key decisions.

Including the latest big call, to appoint Alonso and accept the need for a change in direction.

Boehly was reportedly in favour of hiring Alonso and giving him more autonomy at the club as a manager with a strong standing and reputation after his work at Bayer Leverkusen, and having been appointed by Real Madrid, although that ended badly.

There have been disagreements though, on and off the pitch.

Boehly wanted to keep Mauricio Pochettino rather than hire Enzo Maresca, for example. While Eghbali – in what will be the most alarming indication of his judgement for Chelsea fans now that he’s in sole charge – was the man pushing for Liam Rosenior to take over from Maresca midway through last season.

Logic would suggest, assuming Boehly and Eghbali are equally to blame for the Chelsea mess across the last four years, that the club will be better off with one of them in charge. “Go ahead, name a country that doesn’t have two presidents. A boat that sets sail without two captains. Where would Catholicism be without the popes?” a wise latino man in an Office once said.

There may now be more movement on a new stadium or the redevelopment of Stamford Bridge, which was thought to be a major cause in the breakdown of the relationship between the pair.

Few Chelsea fans will be sad to see the back of Boehly. In many ways – fairly or unfairly – he’s been the face of the club’s demise; a man who knew nothing about football and proved it beyond doubt at one of the biggest football clubs in the world.

But that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be worried about what the future holds as many will quite reasonably be asking if they’re better off with one incompetent leader rather than two.