Hamburg’s Frank Arnesen: Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has a lot more footballing sense now

Frank Arnesen (Getty Images)

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Hamburg‘s new sporting director Frank Arnesen has revealed he had a fruitful working relationship with his former boss Roman Abramovich at Chelsea.

“It was very good working with Abramovich but also very easy. He was the only person I was answerable to,” he told Bild. “When I first met him in 2005, he had little clue about football.

“However, Mr. Abramovich has put a lot of energy into the club and this has changed. Now he really knows his stuff about football. I always tried to spend his money wisely.”

Arnesen also said that the Russian is fully committed to an idea once he has decided upon the right course of action, as was the case with the decision to hire manager Andre Villas-Boas as Carlo Ancelotti’s successor.

“If Abramovich wants something, he goes for it 100 per cent,” he stated. “When he took me from Tottenham to Chelsea in 2005, he paid €5 million (£4.45m) for me. So I am probably the most expensive sporting director in the world.”

Arnesen departed from his post at Stamford Bridge for German side Hamburg, where he is hoping to kickstart a new era after years of underachievement.

“We are making a clean break,” he explained. “Many older players have gone.

“We are now going on with young players, who are talented, hungry and want to play for Hamburg. I know this is a risk but I am convinced that this is the right path.

“I want to see attractive football, which is technically and tactically good. And also a team, who give it their all. Not just in the matches but in every training session.”