Fans starting to lose faith in Abramovich

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An exclusive poll for Standard Sport today reveals the Russian's approval rating is at its lowest ebb since he arrived at Stamford Bridge in 2003. The figures are published in the wake of a turbulent season which saw the Blues fail to win a trophy and sack two managers.

After investing £500million transforming Chelsea into a European heavyweight, Abramovich has enjoyed hero status among Chelsea fans but the first signs of cracks in the relationship are now starting to emerge.

Standard Sport asked Chelsea supporters to rate the performance of the key men Abramovich has tasked with running the club over the last 12 months.

Only five per cent thought Abramovich's board had done a "very good" job which is a startling statistic when compared to 43 per cent in the same poll two years ago.

In total, only 32 per cent of supporters think Abramovich's regime - in the form of chairman Bruce Buck, chief executive Peter Kenyon and the club's directors - have done a "good" or "very good" job.

Again, this is a significant fall with the comparative figures standing at 75 per cent in 2006 and 47 per cent last year. The number of fans describing the performance of the club's chairman and board as "bad" or "very bad" has also risen and now stands at 23 per cent.

The poll was conducted by independent research company Football Fans Census as part of the Standard's annual London Football Report. More than 2,000 fans were quizzed with a minimum sample of 100 supporters from each club.

The figures also show the lack of faith supporters had in Avram Grant - prior to his sacking at the weekend - compared to his predecessor Jose Mourinho. In the 2007 London Football Report, the Portuguese was voted the capital's most popular boss with 97 per cent of those surveyed saying he had done a "good" or "very good" job. The comparative figure for Grant in 2008 was 63 per cent despite Chelsea's late-season charge.

The poll will provide food for thought for Abramovich as he contemplates finding a successor for the Israeli.

Figures with more traditional CVs for managing big European clubs, such as Frank Rijkaard, Guus Hiddink and Roberto Mancini, are believed to be among the prime candidates to take over at the Bridge.