Chelsea to overlook Grant?

The Phantom

Reports are suggesting that new Chelsea boss Avram Grant will not be in his position for much longer. The BBC are reporting that Chelsea have requested to speak with Dutch national coach Marco van Basten. It should be noted that even though Grant has been announced as the Chelsea boss, he has not signed a contract to do so.

I think Chelsea are worried that Grant won't get the backing from other clubs in regards to special dispensation to coach in the league, since he does not have the UEFA Pro licence. Manchester United have already publicly announced they would not support such an idea (they also opposed a similar situation when Gareth Southgate & Glenn Roder were appointed managers of Middlesbrough and Newcastle respectively).

Also a move for Van Basten would be seen as a more favourable move with the fans and the players. I seem to think they dislike Grant because he 'stabbed' Mourinho in the back and took his job. With a new face coming in, it would bring fresh ideas, and a fresh start with the fans. Just my opinion though.

Tyler Durden

I can understand Chelsea fans disliking the guy being the replacement for someone they loved so much, but this would be a ridiculous take on the matter for a couple of reasons.

1) If it's true that he still Director of Football then he has taken nobody's job there. Chelsea still do not have a contracted manager so he cannot be technically assumed to have "taken Jose's job" and

2) Why shouldn't he even if he did? I don't see this as "stabbing Mourinho in the back at all". Roman wanted him out, he owns the club, so he gets what he wants. Then he is without anyone to take care of the 1st team so he asks Grant to do it. What should Grant do? Clearly in his interviews Jose didn't like him. So the suggestion is he should have turned down this offer from his employer (a man he is said to be friends with) to show some sort of faux loyalty to a guy that didn't even like him, and thus lose his own job as well?

The Phantom

I agree… I don’t think he ‘stabbed’ Jose in the back. The problems between Abramovich and Mourinho were there well before Grant arrived at Stamford Bridge, I just think that Grants appointment as Director of Football was one of the final nails in his coffin. A footballing appointment not made by the footballing manager was never going to go down well.

I think Chelsea fans do need to move on. Jose has come and gone, they need to get behind their new manager, whoever he is. All this messing around behind the scenes is not helping the Chelsea players. A good win at Hull tonight will be a step in the right direction though.