Bates was on TalkSport this morning and he said "We've got a great youth policy at Chelsea but we haven't had the facilities. We have just got a place which we've exchanged contracts on and we are planning for December.

"The first thing I told Roman is that we need a new training ground. We've got a £17million to £20million project and you can rest assured that this guy didn't become a millionaire by doing silly things.

"I'd like to think that, by 2010, we will have a home-grown team and won't be buying expensive players. We've got a good record with youngsters coming through.

"Money itself doesn't buy success, as we know. I can think of a few clubs who tried to buy success and failed and were in financial difficulties, which take 10 to 15 years to come out of.

"Our plan before Mr Abramovich was that we were going to have a difficult year this year and then clear our debts off, so we have saved four or five years really.''

And he said of West Ham "I think that West Ham are going through a sabbatical and they'll be back next year. They are a good club and they've got a great football academy.''

He also backed under fire chairman Terence Brown by insisting "He was quite right. If you admit you've got financial problems, which obviously Chelsea had in the past 12 months, and you try and sell a player, then it's bargain basement fire-sale time. It's not a matter of deceiving the fans. The players needed to be sold and they got good prices for them.''

Has Bates ever had a kind word to say about another team, let alone their chairman? Answers on a post card.