i posted a similar thing to this just after grant was made manager. i wondered if grant was in as a buffer, as the next manager after jose was always on a hiding to nothing. i believed that grant was brought in not expecting great things, then whoever was in after him would be hailed as a new messiah. all chelsea fans would think "surely things can only get better now ***** is her, and granat has moved up". im now 100% sure this is the thinking behind grants employment as manager.

dkw one of my mates, has said exactly the same thing from day one of Grant's reign.

He is 110% convinced Grant is a temporary appointment by Roman. A stop gap. Only there to hold the chair until a top name manager comes in the summer.

Personally I don't share that belief, but a lot can happen between now and the summer.

i posted a similar thing to this just after grant was made manager. i wondered if grant was in as a buffer, as the next manager after jose was always on a hiding to nothing. i believed that grant was brought in not expecting great things, then whoever was in after him would be hailed as a new messiah. all chelsea fans would think "surely things can only get better now ***** is her, and granat has moved up". im now 100% sure this is the thinking behind grants employment as manager.

That is possible. I think that the decision to boot JM was made really quick and impulsively as all sorts of setbacks piled up and as Grant was available and willing, his managing career started. After that Abra/Kenyon hoped that as our squad is top quality Avram/anyone would do okay. Well this has happened actually. Grant has done what was expected of him. Nothing more. Winning a cup would be a huge plus. Winning the title would be a huge bonus.

Maybe there was no manager available who Abra and Chelsea think was the suitable follower for JM. Avram's 4 year deal was just made to blind people to think he was chosen with much thinking and consideration.

Maybe Avram is a good tactician in the CL? Who knows? Olypiacos game was bad but otherwise we have done well there. Tubby-Rafa seems to wake up when he hears the CL theme since he is hopeless in the EPL and very good in CL... Maybe we win the CL and hail king Avram...

Anyway.. This certainly raises lot of talk. Which is really good for ShedEndForum!!

i posted a similar thing to this just after grant was made manager. i wondered if grant was in as a buffer, as the next manager after jose was always on a hiding to nothing. i believed that grant was brought in not expecting great things, then whoever was in after him would be hailed as a new messiah. all chelsea fans would think "surely things can only get better now ***** is her, and granat has moved up". im now 100% sure this is the thinking behind grants employment as manager.

I think you're spot on here.

Too many people are guilty of underestimating Abramovich.

Too many people are guilty of underestimating Abramovich.

exactly. abramovich is obviously a very astute and clever person. and hes surrounded by very clever business people. they would have formulated an exit strategy for jose, and i wouldnt be surprised if hiring grant as a stooge was part of that.

If thats the case, why is Roman leaving it so late?

exactly. abramovich is obviously a very astute and clever person. and hes surrounded by very clever business people.

Clever business sense doesn't necessarily mean you know how to run a football club.

Sacking JM or even his refusal to back him prioir to his exit showed his petulance....that doesn't smack of an 'astute and clever person', or someone who has the clubs best interests at heart....only their own.

If thats the case, why is Roman leaving it so late?

I can only assume that the guy he wants is not available until the summer.

Hiddink?

Sacking JM or even his refusal to back him prioir to his exit showed his petulance

likewise, the way jose acted during this time also showed petulance. he tried to take on roman and lost. simple as. im still not sure jose didnt engineer his way out of the club. hed never been at a club for more than 3 seasons before, and i think hes the kind of manager who can go to a club and have a massive imediate impact, but that impact will wain over a fairly short time. i was as in awe of jose as the next person. but unlike some, i can see the flaws in him now he has gone.

The only buffer Grant forms is between Abramovich and the first team. I don't know how many times Grant has said he's his own man, well as far as I'm concerned his actions would reflect this without having to preach it all the time, all he shows me is he's no more that a puppet.

I for one, could see flaws in Jose. While he could make a player, he could break one too. He could rise confidence in someone, but also take it away from others.

Though, he will always be the best manager Chelsea have seen or mostly ever likely too, more people should also see that, and not be so quick to forget what we had.

(Thats not been thrown at you dkw, just generalising)

like i said, i was in awe of jose whnen he was here, and i also believe he was the bes manager weve ever had. and i also appreciate everything he did her. but its also possible that his tenure here at chelsea had run its course, and him leaving maybe was for the best.

If thats the case, why is Roman leaving it so late?

I can only assume that the guy he wants is not available until the summer.

Hiddink?

I'm a big fan of Hiddink, and would be well happy to see him at Chelsea. But to be honest, given his age and quotes I've read from him, he seems to prefer the part time management jobs of international football to the day to day work of running a club.