The New Chelsea Gaffer

After Jose Mourinhio’s recent departure from Chelsea there’s been a bit of chatter in the sports media about whether new manager Avram Grant can cut it.

Most people have come up with the answer, ‘naw’.

Of course the results throughout the season will provide the real answer, but a guy with no managerial experience outside his native Israel was never going to satisfy the success-hungry Chelsea support.

Would anyone be excited at his appointment at their club? If Grant took over at one of the Old Firm, supporters would be up in arms. I can’t think of one club in the Premiership or the Championship whose fans would be pleased if Grant took over at their club.

Grant doesn’t just match up to The Special One, his reputation can’t even touch that of the last four Chelsea managers. (I exclude caretaker-manager Graham Rix).

Claudio Ranieri, before Chelsea he had bossed Fiorentina, Valencia and Atletico Madrid. Afterwards he went back to Valencia and he now gaffers Juventus.

Gianluca Vialli, 59 caps for Italy. One of the few players to have won a full house of European trophies - the European Cup (with Sampdoria & Juventus), UEFA Cup (with Juventus) and European Cup Winners’ Cup (with Chelsea).

Ruud Gullit, winner of the 1988 European Championship with Holland. 2 European Cups with a Milan side rated one of the best footballing teams of all time.

Glenn Hoddle, 53 caps for England. 2 FA Cups and a UEFA Cup with Tottenham Hotspur. A French Title with Monaco before managing Swindon to promotion to the Premiership

Grant has won trophies as well. The Israeli Premier League four times.

Grant’s appointment screams ‘Yes Man’. Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich seems like a Dad who has a bought his kid a copy of Football Manager, then when he’s saw how much fun the game looks has pushed his kid aside and started taking turns on it himself.

However the tabloids today are saying that Gullit’s former teammate Marco van Basten will shortly be appointed Chelsea’s new manager and he’s exactly the kind of pedigree that fans there should expect. He’s by no means a yes man, so it will be interesting to see what his relationship with Abramovich will be. Although Chelsea were not long in denying the story.