When the time comes to make a managerial change at Chelsea there is one man, and one man alone, who pulls the trigger. But the owner, Roman Abramovich, has a clutch of trusted aides around him, with whom he has worked for many years and from whom he has taken soundings since Monday night, when José Mourinho’s reign lurched further into crisis with the 2-1 loss at Leicester City. The team sit 16th in the Premier League, after nine defeats in 16 matches, and are just one point above the relegation zone. These are the Stamford Bridge power-brokers who hold the key to Mourinho’s immediate future.
Roman Abramovich
The big boss never says anything in public and he has constructed a reputation for Godfather-style ruthlessness. When managers fail to live up to expectations, he cuts them loose. Since his takeover in 2003, he has sacked seven of them. The last word is always his and he is notoriously difficult to second-guess. But those that know the Russian billionaire describe him as a clubbable sort, whose interest in Chelsea, and the game in general, is passionate and unwavering. He is determined to raise them to another level with the Stamford Bridge rebuild scheme.
Bruce Buck
New York-born lawyer, Buck is the managing partner in Europe for the US law firm Skadden Arps and he has been involved in work in central and eastern Europe, with a particular emphasis on Russia. He specialises in mergers and acquisitions, and he worked on deals for Sibneft, the Russian oil company that Abramovich previously controlled. This led him to help Abramovich with his purchase of Chelsea. A Chelsea supporter since coming to London in 1983 and a season-ticket holder since 1991, Buck is known for his calm and analytical approach. Regularly spotted at the back of the Chelsea manager’s post-match press conferences.
Marina Granovskaia
Arguably the most powerful woman in world football, Granovskaia has worked closely with Abramovich over the last 18 years and has his complete trust. She is considered to be the most direct line to him. Born in Russia and a dual Russian- Canadian citizen, she began her career at Sibneft. A move from Moscow to London followed after Abramovich bought Chelsea and since 2010 she has acted as a representative of him at the club. In 2013 she was promoted to the Chelsea plc and executive boards. Granovskaia is in charge of the club’s transfer negotiations and she was instrumental in José Mourinho’s return, helping to win over some of the doubters.
Eugene Tenenbaum
A long-time confidant of Abramovich, he has been with the Russian on the Chelsea board since the very start. Born in Ukraine, he emigrated to Canada as a boy; like Granovskaia, he holds dual Russian and Canadian nationality. Tenenbaum was formerly the head of corporate finance at Sibneft and is the managing director of MHC-Services Ltd and a board member at EVRAZ plc. A chartered accountant, he has also worked at Price Waterhouse, KPMG and Salomon Brothers.
Michael Emenalo
A former Nigeria international who played at the 1994 World Cup and once had a brief spell at Notts County, Emenalo was brought to Chelsea by the former manager, Avram Grant, in 2007. He was promoted from his position of head opposition scout to assistant first-team coach in 2010, under the then manager Carlo Ancelotti, after the departure of Ray Wilkins, before he was given the role of technical director in the summer of 2011. He has overseen the club’s recruitment strategy at academy and first-team levels. Has a very close working relationship with Abramovich.
