"Two years ago we were seen as streets paved with gold - that is over. Chelsea is now being run properly, it is being run as a business."
"Roman is at Chelsea for the long run. He has bought in completely to the vision of making this club one of the biggest and best in Europe," he said.
"This was not a vanity purchase for the owner. It is a serious investment with a long-term business plan."
How many 'you knows' were taken out of the above statement?
And this in The People:
Chelsea will announce astonishing losses of nearly £90million tomorrow.
And we can reveal the full details of Roman Abramovich's mind-boggling spending spree.
Figures for the year ended June 30 2004 - Abramovich's first as owner - also show salaries have more than doubled to £115.5m.
That includes nearly £20m in termination payments to former manager Claudio Ranieri and players.