Second place wasn’t good enough for Chelsea or for owner Roman Abramovich, who fired manager Avram Grant just days after Grant led Chelsea to the Champions League final.
Grant’s departure always did feel like a foregone conclusion but the team’s success in the second half of the season had you wondering if he might be able to hold on. Falling short in the EPL and the Champions League final ultimately did Grant in.
So who will replace Grant? Here is the short-list:
- Guus Hiddink
- Frank Rijkaard
- Sven Goran Erikkson
- Roberto Mancini
- Jose Mourinho
Wait, what? Mourinho? Yep, you read that right. Apparently Mourinho and Abramovich have kissed and made up in recent months. Unfortunately for Chelsea though, Mourninho has been heavily linked to Inter Milan recently and looks like a good bet to join the Italian champions. That would free up Mancini to take the Chelsea job.
Who do you think will be the new Chelsea manager? Hiddink? Rijkaard? Gianfranco Zola? Share your thoughts below.
according to sky news last night
2nd in CL
2nd in League
quarters in FA
2nd in Carling
im sorry, but what does chelsea expect in a coach?? nearly won them 3 cups…. sometimes you have to blame the players as well as the coach… just seemed to not be able to finish…
i hate chelsea, but this seemed dumb
oops Abramovich. That kind of dilutes the impact there, doesn’t it?
Dufus I may be, but one player does not make a team.
Tactical decisions like putting one of the best attacking players on your team at right back, not making appropriate subs before PKs, and not imbuing your players with respect so that they get ejected from games does however lose games.
Pat:
You’re a dufus.
I will be rooting against Chelsea next year. Good luck finding a better replacement Abramovich. A virtual tie for the Championship of Europe, and one win from being Premier League champions. Avram Grant was obviously a disgrace. How could he not beat Man UTD.? It’s not like they had the world’s best player or anything.
Avram Grant won nothing the entire year. Gave the league cup away to Spurs, lost to a championship side in the FA cup quarters, and made consistently cowardly managerial decisions in the big games.
He was also supposed to bring “attractive football” to Chelsea, and as far as I could see, Chelsea was still playing their Mourinho style of grinding it out results up until the Champions League Final.
Avram Grant was an average coach blessed with the best players in the world who were ingrained with the strategy and ethos from one of the best managers in the world, who has actually won something.
But, yeah, hes a nice guy…anybody want to give him a gold star sticker?
this is horrible, grant arguably better than mourinho, and its not his fault they lost in penalties. I hope he keeps getting a big weekly paycheck from chelsea, and that next year they get relegated (GO GUNNERS!!!)
Long Live Avram Grant….Scroll down for hilarity !!
http://republikofmanc.proboards92.com/index.cgi?board=generalfootball&action=print&thread=12610
I have to agree with Victor. I think that Hiddink is a shoe in. I wouldn’t be surprised that once Russia is knocked out of Euro 2008, Hiddink would take over at Chelski.
I’m actually glad for Grant. His reputation is far greater now and he can leave with his head high. He got a very nice buyout so I’m sure he’s not crying right now.
As for a replacement, I’ll bet the house on Hiddink. The Russian federation cannot say no to Roman after all the financial help he’s provided to the national team
Sono fantastico
I bet the Blues wait till after the Euro to pick Grant’s successor. I would like Chelsea to begin a revival led by Slaven Bilic after his Croatian team surprises the rest of Europe as they did against England.
Thank you Avram. It is impossible to replace the special one. I hope you find a new home quickly. BTW, Kenyon… you’re next… it’s hard not believe Chelsea would be better off without you. United are champions of Europe after cleaning up your messes.
Absurd. Chels won more because Grant made better use of his players than Mourinho did early in the year. He out-managed Sir Alex in the final and was done in by selfish Drogba and Terry’s slip. Interesting to see where Grant ends up.
I just didn’t see this coming. Yes, I am joking.
Anyway, the rumors are Mancini to Chelsea and Mourinho to Inter.
I’d think Rijkaard with the way Barca has played entertaining soccer (excluding this year). But that also helped with Ronnie and Messi leading the offense.
And no, a Rijkaard and Ronnie or Rijkaard and Messi or Rijkaard and Ronnie and Messi reunion at Chelsea is not in the offing.
The answer to your query Andrew is a resounding Yes! I really feel bad for Grant…hope he can find another club in the EPL!
Grant just reminds me of the guy who cannot buy a break. He was so gutted after the Champions League Final, really, did you see how dead he looked and now this.
Honestly, he looks like a nice guy, life goes on buddy keep your head up.
I don’t like Chelsea but Grant seemed like a class act and great coach. I’d imagine the Russian will throw money at Rijkard now.
So if John Terry doesn’t slip, Grant may still have a job?
(to add to my previous)
Which probably means he’ll probably try to keep Drogba and Anelka around, now that I think about it.
Yeah, what Joe said. Grant actually did better with Chelsea this year than Mourinho did last year, and he took abuse all year for it. Abramovich seems like an unimaginative child with a toy two days after he got it as a birthday gift: he’s turning it upside down and shaking it not because it’s broken but because the novelty has worn off. The fans show up to watch soccer on the field, but these days it seems like Abramovich’s only entertainment comes from the soap opera stuff off the field.
Big surprise…they fired arguably the best coach on the planet, we all knew Avram Grant was effed. Maybe Abramovich actually has enough money to hire Jesus…but who are we kidding, he’d get fired too.
Well, I’m sure that Chelsea will form great chemistry between their field team, coaching staff and front office management by continually turning over players and coaches every couple of months. After all, that has worked wonders for RBNY so far.
I like the Giuseppe Franco comment! But seriously, you take the reins of a club after they fire a very popular coach, bring them up the table, only to lose the league on goal difference, lose on penalties to the same team in the CL Final—which by the way sticks with their coach through thick and thin—only to get sacked. Who’d be dumb enough to take that gig?
Maybe Giuseppe Franco. Maybe he’s another one of Roman’s ‘good personal friends.’
What, Bruce Arena is not on the short list?!?
I think Giuseppe Franco can probably take over for Chelsea and do a decent job. He doesn’t “own them or even own anything about them.” So that’s a great fit for Chelski.