Mourinho Gone!!

[full back]

Although a decent manager, with all the money he had he still couldnt bring home the CL
Other managers have achieved it without spending as much money

Most notably a certain Mr J Mourinho at FC Porto.

FFS - at Chelsea he couldnt win the CL

[Square Ball]

Sorta going to miss him, was one of the most charismatic manageres in the game, but feck he could be annoying.

[Balboa]

Sorta going to miss him, was one of the most carasmitic manageres in the game, but feck he could be annoying.

Have you been on the beer at lunchtime Squareball?

[Square Ball]

I wish Balboa, but as a representive of the NICS I stay in a work as opposed to going to the pub, and only use the internet during official breaks.

[Great Leap Forward]

Although a decent manager, with all the money he had he still couldnt bring home the CL
Other managers have achieved it without spending as much money

Most notably a certain Mr J Mourinho at FC Porto.

FFS - at Chelsea he couldnt win the CL

You appear to have misunderstood my post. I was merely pointing out that he didn't have to win the CL to prove himself a great manager. He did that at Porto with a squad of relatively unknown players.

[J70]

Although a decent manager, with all the money he had he still couldnt bring home the CL
Other managers have achieved it without spending as much money

Most notably a certain Mr J Mourinho at FC Porto.

FFS - at Chelsea he couldnt win the CL

He had three shots at it as Chelsea manager, losing two semi-finals to Liverpool that could easily have gone his way, exiting to eventual winners Barcelona in the other one. How many attempts has Ferguson had? He's spent plenty. How many have Real Madrid won since they started forking out obscene amounts of money on the "galacticos"? The Champions League is a knockout competition, and at that level, the line between success and failure is razor-thin.

[Balboa]

I wish Balboa, but as a representive of the NICS I stay in a work as opposed to going to the pub, and only use the internet during official breaks.

Ah yes SquareBall, like myself then.

[Norf Tyrone]

replacing him will be tough and they are just lucky that fat frank and jt signed contracts when they did!!

Frank not signed a new contract.


Don't laugh, but there are rumours of Jose and QPR. Ecclestone apparently has him marked!

At wotk at moment, so will reply to some of the posts later. Actually a lot of intelligent commentary here today! IMHO.

[full back]

He was given millions & millions to win the CL
Regardless of winning it with Porto, he didnt win it with Chelsea - it doesnt matter how close you get

[deiseach]

I think Chelsea will regret this. I'm not sure Mourinho is the best tactician who ever lived, but I couldn't see anyone making a squad filled with so many bloated egos and pay packets pull together. Several people, including the man sometimes considered the heir apparent at Old Trafford, failed in that very task at Real Madrid. Yet Mourinho did it at Chelsea. Their us-against-the-world mentality was really quite impressive, especially given the corosive presence of Frank Lampard.

I can't see anyone else replicating that spirit - except Alex Ferguson, and I doubt he's interested.

[Square Ball]

I wish Balboa, but as a representive of the NICS I stay in a work as opposed to going to the pub, and only use the internet during official breaks.

Ah yes SquareBall, like myself then.

Yip

only on lunch breakes, then home!!

[Datsun Donaghy]

BORING, BORING  CHELSEA - George Graham's Arsenal were better to watch than the current Chelsea - for some people winning is everything, but obviously not the thousands of Chelsea fans who stayed away from the CL match on Tuesday night.

This was no surprise!!!

[From the Bunker]

Mourinho in line for massive pay-off
Thursday, 20 September 2007 18:44
Former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho is set to land a massive £25million pay-off after leaving Stamford Bridge.

The Portuguese coach departed the club by mutual consent on Thursday and said an emotional goodbye to the players at the club's Cobham training ground in Surrey.

Chelsea moved swiftly to replace Mourinho with director of football Avram Grant, who will take charge of team affairs on a permanent basis along with assistant Steve Clarke.

Clarke, who was also number two to Mourinho, will remain at the club but the Portuguese coach's backroom staff of Baltemar Brito and Rui Faria, head opposition scout Andre Villas and goalkeeping coach Silvino Louro, have also departed.

Now lawyers are in detailed negotiations about a severance package for Mourinho, who still had another three years left on his £5.2million-a-year deal.

It is understood the financial package will include confidentiality clauses that prevent Mourinho from divulging any club secrets.

Last March, Mourinho taunted the club by saying he would walk away from the club as a 'millionaire' if Chelsea wanted to get rid of him.

In the build-up to their home game with Porto in the Champions League, the former Chelsea chief also boasted that he would not be out of work for long.

Mourinho is now being tipped to take over the Portuguese national side, but in the meantime Chelsea's players continued their preparations for Sunday's game against Manchester United in the Premier League.

Mourinho's emotional farewell at Cobham is understood to have left striker Didier Drogba in tears.

Drogba, whose goals won Chelsea the Carling and FA Cups last season, had a close relationship with Mourinho.

The Ivorian scored 33 goals last season and, after striking a late winner against Manchester United to win the FA Cup at Wembley, he sprinted off the pitch to thank the Chelsea coach for making him one of the best strikers in the world.

Grant has a hard act to follow as Mourinho won everything in English football in his three years in charge.

But while the reaction to Mourinho's departure and Grant's elevation has been mixed, the club provided the Israeli and Clarke with their full backing.

A club statement read: 'Chelsea can confirm that Avram Grant and Steve Clarke will be in charge of the first team from today (Thursday).

'The club is delighted that in Avram we have an experienced man who can come in immediately at this difficult time to help deliver our objectives.

'In Steve we have a Chelsea man and he will be a crucial part of the management team going forward. Avram and Steve have our full confidence and support.'

[Farrandeelin]

I have to say I liked him when he first arrived at Stamford Bridge. Then he turned out to be a proper moaner. Good riddance!! Hopefully this will still be in the Chelsea players minds on Sunday!!

[ONeill]

Sorry to see him go. Nothing worse than a string of managers winging out the cliches. Unfortunately Ferguson has now joined that band and hasn't the will to be thoughtful and individualistic in his post-match comments anymore (and won't even speak to BBC).

Mourinho was a class act, winding those who needed wound up in the process.