May
JJ Watt used to like Chelsea, but after investing in the squad, he has grown to love Burnley.
JJ Watt, a former NFL great, has abandoned his old Chelsea allegiances in favor of Burnley, a team that is now winning the Championship.
The 34-year-old, who retired from playing last year, is in Lancashire this week to take in Burnley’s season-ending match and the trophy parade on Tuesday after he and his wife Kealia, a former United States international, invested in the team.
Although Watt formerly claimed to be a Chelsea supporter, the three-time NFL defensive player of the year now considers it to be in the past.
Watt told Planet Sport, “I’m a huge football fan, and I’ve been seeking for the proper chance for a while.
“Alan (Pace, chairman) and Vincent (Kompany, manager) have a vision for the club that I’m very much looking forward to contributing to. Burnley is a club that has been around since 1882 and has amazing support in a beautiful community.
“With a $6 billion club like Chelsea, if I became involved, I couldn’t accomplish anything or have any influence. However, if you join a team like Burnley, you have the ability to change things up and have an influence.
I openly admit that I had supported Chelsea, but I now support Burnley.
Despite the fact that the Premier League is currently flooded with investments from across the globe, the majority of them go to the big six teams or those in London. Watt, who grew up in Pewaukee, Wisconsin, claimed that despite Turf Moor’s distance from the more glitzy perception of the top flight, he found it to be appealing.
“I’m from a small town in Wisconsin and I grew up watching the Green Bay Packers,” said Watt, who played for the Houston Texans for ten seasons and the Arizona Cardinals for two.
Green Bay is not a huge town, and there is no reason for them to be great, according to all the facts, but I believe that something exceptional can happen in a tiny town, especially when you have a manager like Vincent Kompany, a chairman like Alan Pace, and supporters like we have here.
Watt said that he felt a little out of place at the parade on Tuesday, saying, “I don’t feel like I deserve to be here because I just joined.” However, Watt has already become actively involved in a number of club activities, including attending a meeting about the upcoming summer transfer window.
Watt said he intended to take Burnley international and drew inspiration from the influence Hollywood owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney had at Wrexham, who had recently been promoted to League Two.
Additionally, there will be an emphasis on strengthening Burnley’s women’s squad, who compete in the National League North, the third tier of the pyramid.
Watt declared, “I’m going to be assisting to develop the worldwide brand. “We want to convey the tale of the town and show people what a wonderful place it is, as well as assist generate interest and enthusiasm around Burnley Football Club.
“A huge part of what we want to achieve is (have a women’s squad). Burnley wants to be a part of the worldwide growth of women’s football, which is on the increase.
