"It’s sad for all parties because it’s taken people’s eyes off the ball," he says.
"Everybody is bigger than where it’s getting to at the minute, and it needs to move on. It’s flattering if people think I saw it coming, and life’s all about timing. It is true that I was close to the whole thing, but that’s not why I left. I left because of the opportunity Chelsea was offering."
And then he goes on to talk about his own position:
"I came in not as a traditional football person, but as a businessman. I am a United supporter and always have been. I haven’t got that heritage with Chelsea, but I am committed to making Chelsea the best. It was a big decision to leave United, and I won’t shy away from that, but it was balanced by the personal and professional opportunity that Chelsea represents today. There’s a lot of excitement about what’s happening to Chelsea. From my first meeting with Mr Abramovich it became clear there was a vision here to make this one of the major European clubs. I’m pretty good at marketing and understand the value of football, but unless we perform on the field you are never, ever going to capitalise on the business opportunities. It has to start there."