Chelsea manager Avram Grant has had his contract terminated, according to the club.

and take ten cate and amerson with you

steve clarke

Hollins backs Sven to replace Grant
by Tom Kell, 24 May 2008

Former Chelsea manager John Hollins has told Setanta Sports News that Sven Goran Eriksson could be the club’s best bet to succeed Avram Grant if they are to resurrect themselves in time for the start of next season.

A brief statement on The Blues’ website revealed on Saturday that Grant’s contract had been terminated just eight months after he was confirmed as Jose Mourinho’s successor.

Speculation that Roman Abramovich would dispose of Grant has gone hand in hand with the Israeli’s time at Stamford Bridge, and the owner has now seemingly lost patience despite seeing his side go close to winning both The Premier League and Champions League.

Hollins, who was in charge of the club in the 1980s, has been impressed with the job Eriksson has done at Manchester City and thinks the Swede would be a better option than the likes of Roberto Mancini and Frank Rijkaard.

“It is and isn’t a shock,” he told Setanta Sports News. “Would he still have been there if they’d won the Champions League?

“It’s very swift, I think he did a good job overall with the club in the changeover period.

“They now have a problem with who they can bring in, when they can bring them in with pre-season starting in a month. It needs to be a really big guy with big shoulders who can handle it.

“Eriksson did a very good job at Man City at bringing players in within a month and I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s in there somewhere.”

no way

Avram knew he couldn't manage Chelsea

By ROB BEASLEY

A WEEK before Jose Mourinho was sacked, Avram Grant was dining with friends.

Predictably, the conversation turned to Mourinho's future and who might replace him if and when Roman Abramovich finally tired of his manager's antics.

"Not me," Grant insisted when his name was placed in the frame. "I am not ready to be Chelsea manager even if Roman wanted me."


Seven days later, he was installed at Stamford Bridge.

Unfortunately, his words were prophetic. He was never truly ready to be manager of Chelsea.

Because Grant's face didn't fit at Chelsea even before he replaced Mourinho.

At some of the highest levels within the club, there were doubts over the man's ability as both a coach and motivator.

Nobody, though, had either the courage or conviction to question Abramovich's decision ...and now Chelsea are paying the price.

Grant lost his privileged status as an Abramovich confidante. The dressing room fractured as several cliques formed against the manager, while other elements at the Bridge conspired against him.

All this set against a background where Chelsea's billionaire owner disappeared from the scene, drawn back to Moscow by a combination of politics and a love interest which distracted him from the world of the Premier League.

Grant's promise to provide the expansive and attractive style Abramovich wanted was exposed as a myth.

The Israeli's inability to inspire became the rod with which the players beat him while he constantly fell short of Mourinho's standards.

Dignity
Before the players reported for their first day of training under Mourinho, they had been supplied with individual dossiers detailing their dietary regime, pre-season schedule and a DVD breakdown of their game.

During Grant's time, he had to be reminded of a midweek Carling Cup tie, asked the groundsman when the next home game was and if Chelsea should train on the Stamford Bridge pitch.

Yes, there was a deep dignity about him but that was never going to be enough. He was out of his depth. Public rows with the likes of Tal Ben Haim served to highlight his weakness in the eyes of influential players who were never convinced of his technical knowledge or truly trusted him.

One player said: "You couldn't dislike Grant, you just knew there wasn't very much depth to him.

"When he was technical director, nobody knew what he was here to do and when he took over from Jose, he didn't seem to have a clue.

"Training lost its edge, there was no attention to detail and the players began to realise it was up to us to get things right. He wasn't exactly leading from the front."

Inevitably, those same whispers reached Abramovich's ears. He lost faith and even their close friendship could not save Grant.

Whereas he had once provided the insight and information the Russian craved, his place had been taken by others. Grant was now merely an employee.

And, as in all Abramovich's businesses, employees are expendable, no matter how important or influential they might once have been. He hardly helped his own cause with a series of catastrophic decisions which culminated in Carling Cup Final humiliation at the hands of Spurs.

As one Chelsea source admitted: "Avram's obviously a decent bloke but he was never comfortable being in charge.

"It wasn't his fault the players were used to somebody as charismatic as Jose, but Avram never got close to getting their confidence.

"He was seen as Roman's mole and even though he wanted to do things his way, there was always that suspicion of him.

"It became clear to everybody that Roman had made a mistake, that he'd put in his own man even though it wasn't the right decision.

"It was only right at the end of the season anybody had the nerve to point out what was going wrong.

"That's when the decision was taken. Chief executive Peter Kenyon and chairman Bruce Buck were told not to make any promises about Avram's future.

"That told its own story and even if Chelsea had beaten Manchester United in Moscow or won the Premier League, his days were still numbered."

But it is that delay in making the decision which has left Chelsea scrabbling around and facing a summer of rebuilding.

With Grant gone, Henk ten Cate a spectacular failure and Steve Clarke looking for a managerial job of his own, Chelsea are shorn of a backroom team.

On the playing front, they must find a replacement for Didier Drogba, who is destined for either Inter Milan or Real Madrid.

There seems little future for Nicolas Anelka and the squad needs strengthening in several key positions.

Decision
The key, however, will be whoever Abramovich anoints as Grant's successor — and who makes that decision.

Kenyon was entrusted to find a replacement for Claudio Ranieri and came up trumps with Mourinho.

But after he argued Mourinho's case in the face of mounting evidence of rampant Portuguese egotism, the king-maker's role was taken away from Kenyon. It was Abramovich himself who chose Grant and there will be many at Chelsea wondering whether the owner will take such a hands-on role this time around.

If Frank Arnesen gets his way, expect Frank Rijkaard. But if Pini Zahavi still has any semblance of influence with the inner sanctum, then there will be a strong case made for Sven Goran Eriksson. There will also be calls for Phil Scolari.

Whoever wins Abramovich's seal of approval, Chelsea fans will pray it is a man big enough to deal with the job, the politics and the unique pressure of life with Roman.

And not just a decent and dignified man who appeared scared witless at the prospect long before his eventual coronation.

Grant gossip




Chelsea are hunting for a new manager after sacking Avram Grant on Saturday.

BBC Sport monitors the latest reaction to Grant's exit and reports on who might succeed him at Stamford Bridge.


NEWSPAPERS
Avram Grant says he feels "completely betrayed" following his sacking as Chelsea boss. (News of the World)

Barcelona boss Frank Rijkaard is the early favourite to become Chelsea's new boss after Grant's exit. (News of the World)

606: DEBATE
Who should succeed Avram Grant at Chelsea?

Blackburn manager Mark Hughes has emerged as a shock contender for the Chelsea job. (Sunday Express)

Manchester City boss Sven-Goran Eriksson is also in the running for the Stamford Bridge post. (Mail on Sunday)

Eriksson could take a senior role above Inter Milan boss Roberto Mancini. (The Independent)

And Grant could make an immediate return to management by replacing Eriksson at City. (The Independent)

Sources close to Jose Mourinho say he is likely to take over at Inter Milan rather than return to Chelsea this summer - but do not rule out him coming back to the Blues in the future. (The Observer)


BBC RADIO 5 LIVE
"Grant was little more than a stop-gap. He never really had the CV, never really had the experience, never really had the clout to fill the boots of Jose Mourinho." (5 Live football correspondent Jonathan Legard)

"It's a little harsh on Avram because he worked hard to keep the ship afloat but it was the big one, the Champions League - it was in Russia, Abramovich was there, and Grant lost it." (Ex-Chelsea player and manager John Hollins)

"It's very, very unfair particularly because of the success he did. You know, John Terry should have scored the penalty and Chelsea would have been champions of Europe and Avram would have stayed, so you can't blame Avram Grant because John Terry missed a penalty." (Avi Cohen, chairman of the Israeli Football Association and a friend of Grant)

"I think it's a terrible decision to make. The man's done an incredible job at Chelsea football club, following the great Mourinho. He hardly lost a game. He lost a game the other night on penalty kick which could have gone the other way. I think it's disgraceful." (Former Chelsea manager Tommy Docherty)

"I think they need a change of managerial philosophy. I personally would go for Guus Hiddink but I can see Rijkaard coming in." (Daily Telegraph's Henry Winter)

Grant sacking inevitable - Hoddle

Grant came close to winning three trophies with Chelsea
Chelsea's decision to sack coach Avram Grant was inevitable after he failed to win a trophy, says former Blues boss Glenn Hoddle.

Chelsea came second in the Carling Cup, Premier League and Champions League.

"Managing Chelsea at this time, three runners-up situations is just not good enough," Hoddle told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"When you look at Roman Abramovich's money that he has put into it, unfortunately that's the pressure that anyone who goes in there is under."

Grant was dismissed on Saturday after eight months in charge of the club.

Richard Bevan of the League Managers Association told 5 Live's Sportsweek that Abramovich has said he "contributed 30% towards the club regarding on-the-pitch activity".

There are very few in the world who can match up to Mourinho, but Hiddink is definitely one of them

Former Chelsea winger Pat Nevin
And Hoddle believes that another foreign manager is likely to replace Grant as they are more likely to be comfortable with such an influential club owner.

"That is a foreign concept isn't it?" said Hoddle. "And maybe these guys are a little bit more used to having that input for a chairman or a president.

"Looking from afar, I think that's maybe the little chink in the armour and why Jose Mourinho went.

"But you can understand that if someone is putting that amount of finances in they want a say."

Grant faced an almost impossible task in succeeding former Blues boss Mourinho, said BBC Sport's Pat Nevin.

"When he took over the job I felt it was a holding role until the man Chelsea really wanted could come in," Nevin told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"He could almost only fail. If he did well it was Mourinho's team; if he did badly he'd ruined Mourinho's team."


Avi Cohen, chairman of the Israeli Football Association and a friend of Grant, told BBC Radio 5 Live: "It's very, very unfair particularly because of the success he did.

As well as beating Chelsea in the Champions League final, Manchester United pipped the Blues to the Premier League title by two points, while Grant's side also lost the Carling Cup final to Spurs.

However, the 53-year-old Israeli coach's position had been subject to intense speculation ever since he succeeded Mourinho.

Among the favourites to succeed Grant are ex-Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard, Russia coach Guus Hiddink, Inter Milan coach Roberto Mancini, and Blacburn boss Mark Hughes.

"Hiddink has a fantastic record with Korea, Australia and getting Russia to the finals, while he did a great job with PSV. Everything stands out," said Nevin.

"He's also a good friend of Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich, who played a large part in giving him the Russian job - all the twos and twos add up to make four on this one.

"You want someone who is a very good coach, but who is also a personality. There are very few in the world who can match up to Mourinho, but Hiddink is definitely one of them."

BBC Radio 5 Live football correspondent Jonathan Legard said: "With Chelsea looking for a stellar name with Champions League pedigree - the new Mourinho if you like - Frank Rijkaard's claims are obvious.

"He made Barcelona champions of Spain and Europe; his former assistant, Henk ten Cate is already a Chelsea coach. But Rijkaard has insisted he wants a year out of football.

"Hiddink is another European Cup winner but he has repeatedly maintained his future is as coach of Russia, where he is partly funded by Roman Abramovich. His new contract agreed in March, however, remains unsigned and that is causing tensions.

"Mancini, meanwhile, has signalled his interest but his domestic achievements with Inter have not at all been matched by success in Europe.

"And would Chelsea really want a coach about to be replaced by Mourinho, possibly in the next 48 hours?

"I'm told that Sven-Goran Eriksson is not a contender."

I think its bizzare. He's done something no maner has done for you, ok you lost but he got ya there.