The club with the biggest problem this week was – not for the first time – Chelsea.
The scandal involving Enzo Fernandez is one that the communications teams at Stamford Bridge are trying, and spectacularly failing, to put to bed as quickly as possible.
Alleged homophobic and racist singing is bad enough, but the racism in the song being seemingly aimed at some of his own club teammates is as indelicate as you can get. Indelicate is being very kind here!
Being in the communications team at Chelsea has always been a difficult gig, but this is as problematic as it gets.
The entire PR playbook has been rolled out. All the ‘right’ things have been said in statements that have been worded as carefully as Joe Biden’s resignation letter, but the players still have to meet up and face up.
It will probably happen on the pre-season tour of the US and it will not be easy to handle if Chelsea’s black French players are still offended by their £100m Argentine midfielder.
The communications team can try all they like, and the directors can keep pumping out statements, but eventually there will be a reckoning. A press crew will be waiting and that is when the real work has to be done by the PR team. It will not be easy.
Well done Manchester United, by the way. What could have been a huge and tricky story, with the return of Jadon Sancho, passed with minimal comment.
Who was it that first said: “It’s a good week to get bad news out”?
Pat Nevin was writing for the BBC Football Extra Newsletter
Chelsea,communications team,Enzo Fernandez,Stamford Bridge,resignation letter,Manchester United,Jadon Sancho
