[weymuffred]

Chelsea have sacked manager Avram Grant after only eight months in charge at Stamford Bridge.

Grant has been under severe pressure in West London since replacing Jose Mourinho last September.

And the Israeli, who steered Chelsea to a second-placed Premier League finish, has now been handed his marching orders after the Blues ended the 2007/08 campaign without a trophy.

Grant's last game in charge of Chelsea was the UEFA Champions League final penalty shoot-out defeat to Manchester United on Wednesday.

A statement on the club's official website read: "Chelsea football club can confirm that Avram Grant has had his contract terminated today (Saturday 24th May). This follows meetings over the last two days.

"Everybody at Chelsea FC would like to thank Avram for his contribution since taking over as manager last September.

"We will now be concentrating all our efforts on identifying a new manager for Chelsea and there will be no further comment until that appointment is made."

The likes of Internazionale manager Roberto Mancini and Frank Rijkaard will now be strongly tipped to take over at Chelsea.

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[jamie2k8]

"Avram Grant will be replaced as Chelsea manager within the next few days, according to reports.

Grant has said his goodbyes to the Chelsea players, telling them what a "privilege" it has been working with them.

Avram Grant set to be replaced as Chelsea look to catch Man Utd with new managerAvram Grant set to be replaced as Chelsea look to catch Man Utd with new manager
Chelsea blues? Avram Grant has said his goodbyes

53-year-old Grant has been awaiting his fate since the club's Champions League final defeat to Manchester United in Moscow on Wednesday night.

If, as expected, Grant is sacked, the chances of the 53-year-old's coaching staff remaining at the club also looks increasingly unlikley.

A comprehensive clear-out would leave Henk ten Cate and Steve Clarke, the assistant coaches, unemployed along with Grant.

According to today's Sun newspaper, Chelsea's defeat in Moscow was said to leave Russian owner Roman Abramovich "embarrassed" in his home city.
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Despite being a close friend of the Russian billionaire and guiding the side to the Champions League final, the Carling Cup final and second place in the Premier League after he took over from Jose Mourinho last September, Grant still has his critics inside Stamford Bridge.

The Sun also said that the Israeli will be offered a £5.2million pay-off, with one of the conditions being that he remains tight-lipped following his dismissal.

A source told the newspaper: "Everyone has suspected that Avram would go at the end of the season.

"He asked for assurances from the owner and directors - and their silence said as much as anything.

"People at the club won’t exactly be sorry to see him leave, but he was a nice guy who just got over-promoted."

Grant is expected to continue talks with chief executive Peter Kenyon to finalise a deal, but Grant may turn down the offer to move back upstairs into his original role as director of football. Inter Milan's Roberto Mancini is considered as one of the front-runners for Grant's job.

Although most of the players have commanded respect for Grant since the club lost to Barnsley in the FA Cup, Nicolas Anelka has attacked Chelsea's tactics following defeat to Manchester United.

The 29-year-old Frenchman is fed-up with being played out of position since his £16 million move from Bolton in January and wants to play in his favoured centre forward position.

Anelka has also revealed he refused to take one of Chelsea's first five penalties in their Champions League shoot-out

that was wrote on the telegraph website five hours ago .... i dont understand why they are sacking him tbh

Chelsea have parted company with manager Avram Grant after terminating the Israeli's contract.

Grant's future has been under debate almost from the moment he inherited the Stamford Bridge reins from Jose Mourinho and his eight-month tenure is now at an end just three days after his side lost to Manchester United in the final of the Champions League.

Despite the constant questioning of his position at the club he has been credited with doing a fine job in taking the Red Devils to the final day of the Premier League title race and narrowly missing out on European glory on penalties"

source - ESPNsoccernet - England - Chelsea sack Grant

so there it is confirmed avrams gone i wonder who will be his replacement

[PaperCut]

I can't believe he's gone as well. What does Abramowich think he is? He will never find a Sir Alex, or someone who can make it right for him. He wants it all and he wants it now. He ruins Chelsea more than he helps them.

[Torque]

You have a point PaperCut. But look at it from Abramovich's point of view: he's spent a huge amount of money to build a team capable of winning CL.

He also brought one of the best coaches and paid him big money. And Mourinho failed. Recently, Chelsea has shown some good results under Grant and I think Abramovich thought that Grant was the one. But it wasn't to be.

So he's nervous, impatient and he makes a lot of rushed decisions.

[PaperCut]

Yeah but just because you have the best players from different teams doesn't mean they can play together in your own team. That's what it's about. The manager never plays, so I think it's pointless in sacking him [that's what I say most of the times when another one is getting sacked], the players have to do the work, and he can be the best manager of the world, if the team isn't doing as they should be, or can't play together [look at Drogba, what was wrong with him in the last couple of months, with his "i'm the best, and it's only me who's able to play" attitude]...

And getting Rijkaard is better? Look where he was in the Primera Divison (hope it's the write spelling) or in the Champions League...

But like you said, he's rushing things at the moment, but he has to wait, whatever comes, about a year for a trophy, so he could have stayed with Grant and see how it would have turned out in another year...

[mark08]

he's lookin for immediate success and that just isnt gonna happen!

it takes time to build a team, no matter how much money u spend and if roman carries on like this they wont get anywhere!

that said and one i think it might be mancini wid jose headin to inter!

[crored68]

Mourinho was probably best suited for Abramovich, he was able to make a team out of a bunch of expensive individuals, he is that type of manager, not like Fergie who is constantly developing the team (and getting results while he does it).

But for European trophyies you need time, big European teams are able to exploit weaknesses of a instant squad like Chelsea.

This was a great chance for Chelsea and they lost in a perfect setting for them (all English final), unfotunately for them it also meant playing the best team of the entire season

The news about some players leaving, like Drogba and Carvalho may prove a problem for next season, besides Abramovich sacked the 2 best suited managers.

Of course that is quite nice, we're ready for No. 18

[Torque]

As Avram Grant has been sacked, the thread is closed.

If you would like to discuss the possible future manager of Chelsea head this way.