20 September 2007
Mourinho’s Gone! (Jol survives)
Bookies were not quite paying out on Martin Jol being the first manager to lose his job but nonetheless the big losers here (along with Chelsea’s fans, players and the British media) will be all those people who put their money on the Tottenham man being first out the door.
After one last argument with Roman Abramovic, the Portuguese is gone and the Premiership loses its most colourful manager.
On the plus side, Roman Abramovic can now look look forward to building the team that he wanted in the first place - one that plays exciting football.
Who next for Chelsea? Well it is a fair bet that the next man in will be someone renowned for their attacking play and since Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger are currently employed, Raphael Benitez a man who makes Mourinho’s team look exciting, Marcelo Lippi Italian (and by extension makes Benitez’ team look exciting) there is one man who fits the bill very nicely; Juande Ramos.
Apparently, any deal with Spurs has become less likely in the past few days because he has started to ask for more money. Could this be the influence of suggestions that Chelsea may have been interested? Certainly, he fits the bill of a self-confident, successful man like Mourinho but with an adherence to an ultra-attacking style.
Not so good for Tottenham should they - like everyone assumes they are about to - part company with Martin Jol.
Of course… Spurs… Mourinho… Chelsea… Ramos… hmm…
I wonder…
