Jose Mourinho has astonishingly called time on a glittering three-year reign as Chelsea’s manager by serving his ties with the deposed Premier League champions. Long-standing differences with the club’s owner, Roman Aromovich, have re-emerged so strongly that they have forced him into the drastic step of leaving the club
The Portuguese contacted his captain, John Terry, and other senior players at Stamford Bridge last night to indicate that he would be going, his relationship with Abramovich, fractious at best last season, having deteriorated further.More talks are likely between Mourinho’s representatives and the club’s hierachy over the remaining years of his 5.2m pounds-a-year contact, which runs until 2010, with compensation close to being agreed.
The resignation came as a huge disappointment to Chelsea’s players and will vshock the club’s supporters.
Avram Grant, the club’s director of football, is set to take charge of the team for the visit to arch rivals, Manchester United on sunday. The resignation came in the wake of a crisis meeting between Mourinho and Abramovich after Tuesday’s draw against Rosenborg in the opening round of the champions League. The manager is expected at the Cobham Training ground to say his goodbyes.
Under Mourinho, the club ended a 50- year wait for the league championship by claiming the title in 2005, a feat the club repeated a year later. Last season may have seen the title surrendered to Manchester United but there was success in the FA CUP and Carling Cup, and a second champions league semi-final under the Portugues in three years.