Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly has asked for patience from the club’s restless fanbase. The Chelsea Supporters Trust recently published a scathing open letter to Boehly and his partners. In the note, the group claimed that morale at the club is as low as it was in the 1980s. The fans even went on to call their beloved team a “laughing stock” with Boehly at the helm.

While the Blues have typically been known as a top team in recent decades, they previously struggled with consistency. Chelsea bounced back and forth between the top two English divisions during the twentieth century.

Although the west London club is not exactly flirting with serious relegation, they have been severely underperforming since Boehly came aboard. The Blues finished 12th in the Premier League table in the American businessman’s first season with the team. They are also now 11th in the standings despite making significant investments into the squad.

Billionaire claims that group of players will eventually turn ‘into a team’

Boehly, however, has finally addressed the highly critical aforementioned open letter. Speaking in a sprawling interview with Forbes, the billionaire touched on a series of topics. This included his non-sports business ventures, as well as owning both Chelsea and the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The news outlet finished the piece by hinting at the fan unrest in west London. Boehly acknowledged that he is under fire from the fans but urged the club’s supporters to have patience with the team’s development. “We just need to let the process develop and give them the time to go from being unbelievable individual players with great skills to fold into a team,” stated Boehly.

“The good news is people care so much. And the bad news is people care so much. That leads to times when they’re frustrated with the team and the owners. I get that, but we just have to continue to stay the course.”

Soldiering on may be tough for Chelsea fans to take considering how much money Boehly has spent on new players. With the businessman at the helm, the Blues have spent over $1 billion in the transfer market. Typically, teams that shell out massive amounts of cash on recruits are expected to collect silverware fairly quickly.

Chelsea supporters likely venting more frustration with Boehly after the draw

The interview was published on Monday but was almost certainly conducted before Chelsea’s recent draw with Burnley. The Blues entered halftime of the match leading the 19th-placed Clarets 1-0 and had a man advantage. Lorenz Assignon was sent off just before the break after picking up two yellow cards.

Despite the lead and playing with an extra man, Chelsea eventually lost their lead two separate times in the fixture. Burnley’s Dara O’Shea ultimately earned his club a point with a goal in the 81st minute. The disappointing draw was just the latest bump in the road for Boehly’s club.

Following the draw, the Blues now have to focus their attention on rivals Manchester United. The Red Devils are set to travel to Stamford Bridge on Thursday, April 4th. Along with their remaining Premier League matches, Chelsea will try to salvage their season in the FA Cup. The Blues, however, next face powerhouse Manchester City in the semifinals of the competition on April 20.

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