In the space of just 4 months, Bulat Chagaev has easily established himself as one of the most controversial owners currently in football. Since buying small Swiss strugglers Neuchatel Xamax in May, Chechen oligarch Chagaev has sacked 5 different managers, violently threatened Neuchatel’s players and brought about an administrative crisis at the club. Neuchatel, a peaceful, homely town in north-west Switzerland, has seen its usual tranquillity shattered by the chaotic Chechen.

As is almost a pre-requisite for wealthy, egotistical new owners, Chagaev arrived with an outlandish and unrealistic promise; to bring Champions League football to Neuchatel. Given that Neuchatel were anxiously peering over their shoulder at relegation, it would take substantial investment and upheaval to bring about Chagaev’s dream of bringing Europe’s elite to the Stade De La Maladière.

And the Chechen immediately demonstrated his volatile side. On the day Chagaev took over, he dismissed manager Didier Ollé-Nicole, bringing in experienced Swiss coach Bernard Challandes as his replacement. Challandes was implored to avoid relegation and then clinch some silverware by beating FC Sion in the Swiss Cup final.

He managed the first part, with Neuchatel evading relegation despite picking up 2 points from the 3 remaining league games. But part two was a bit more difficult and ultimately more explosive.2-0 down at half time in the Cup final, Chagaev stormed into the Neuchatel dressing room shouting “I’ll kill you all” at his players and coaching staff. Chagaev has since denied this. His explanation is that he showed the players a text from a young fan, who was seriously ill in hospital, and that their performance was killing not only the fan, but themselves too. The plausibility of Chagaev’s explanation is highly questionable.

After losing the final, Challandes was soon axed. Former Brazil and Barcelona striker Sonny Anderson was the new boss, only to be moved to the role of General Manager, after it was found that he didn’t have the necessary qualifications. Instead, Francois Ciccolini was appointed manager number 4 of Chagaev’s turbulent but brief reign.

Rumours swirled during that a number of big name players were to join, the likes of Van Nistelrooy, Heinze and Trezeguet were linked, but no major transfers came to fruition. And after a palpably tense start to the new season, with poor results and Chagaev becoming increasingly paranoid over his new management team, both Anderson and Ciccolini were ruthlessly sacked. Somewhat bizarrely, 3 players were sacked, along with the club’s entire administrative staff.

Chagaev’s manic sacking spree left the club struggling even to produce tickets for their next home game. Fans gained entry with handwritten tickets on scraps of paper.

Jose Caparros was next onto Chagaev’s managerial firing range, lasting just 4 games, despite being unbeaten in all of them. Events at the club were starting to turn very sinister. Chagaev had to be physically restrained from assaulting Caparros. Fans began protest marches, players threatened to go on strike over their treatment and unpaid wages.

So bad is the situation that fans are would happily entertain the prospect of liquidation and bankruptcy, just to get rid of Chagaev. Horrifically, the Chechen is now contemplating uprooting the club, and taking them to a more populous and thus profitable location, such as Geneva or Lausanne. With tedious predictability, the Swiss FA and UEFA, both equally spineless, have yet to get involved, despite the shocking shenanigans at Neuchatel.

At the time of writing, Spaniard Victor Munoz is the new manager, although by the time you read this, he could have exited the permanently revolving managerial door.

Chagaev’s brief but explosively tumultuous reign has certainly filled the Swiss sports pages, but there is a human aspect to this story as the fans and club staff suffer whilst Chagaev throttles the life out of Neuchatel. Sitting one place outside the relegation zone, reportedly owing millions of pounds and in a permanent state of flux, the club is in undoubted turmoil.

And barring a personality transplant for Chagaev or the intervention of football’s ruling authorities, the suffering of Neuchatel Xamax looks set to continue.