Henk Ten Cate

[coco]

Henk ten Cate has been told that Avram Grant's sacking will not affect his own future at Chelsea.

Grant was fired after failing to lead the Blues to either Premier League or UEFA Champions League glory and there has been speculation that Dutch coach Ten Cate could also be asked to move on.

However, Ten Cate, who joined Chelsea's backroom staff in October, has spoken to club bosses and been assured that he does still have a role at Stamford Bridge.

"Half an hour before Chelsea made the message about Grant officially known, I was called by the chief executive Peter Kenyon," Ten Cate told Voetbal International.

"He informed me that the departure of Grant will not affect me. I'd rather go on that than all those newspaper reports.

"That appointment was long planned and therefore separate from recent developments.

"In January I had one such evaluation and then we said we would do again after the season. I have a contract until 2010."

However, the former Ajax chief does accept that Grant's replacement may want to bring his own management team with him.

Chelsea have already been linked with a number of high-profile managers but Ten Cate believes there is a chance he could be asked to succeed Grant along with fellow assistant boss Steve Clarke.

He explained: "There are three options: Whether there is a new coach who takes his own technical staff. Or Steve Clarke and I take it over. Whether there is a new trainer who keeps me involved."

Biggest clue to Rijkaard coming to SB so far ?

SOURCE

[coco]

To add, most bookies have halved the odds off Rijkaard joing us.

Ladbrokes go 13/8 Rijkaard .

[Mr Chelsea]

should have put that tenner on when he was 5/2 the other day

[BLUENUT]

Well an appointment has been made if HTK has been gauranteed his job!!!

Rijkaard is out of work at the moment so there wouldn't be any harm of announcing his appointment now would there? it'd give us stability and the players who know who their manager is next year.

My bet is that our next manager is involved in a tournament during the summer and cannot disrupt his current preparations by announcing he will be leaving in a few weeks. Once that tournament is over he'll come and work directly for the man who has been paying his wages indirectly for the past 2 or 3 years.

Just a hunch I've had since JM was sacked but I still reckon it's gonna be Hiddink myself.

[Elliott]

Ten Cate and Rijkaard dont actually get on?... I hope people realise this.

[Lofty]

There are three options:

1. Whether there is a new coach who takes his own technical staff.

2. Or Steve Clarke and I take it over.

3. Whether there is a new trainer who keeps me involved.

The second option would seem to be the least likely, or is it? Could the mere fact that Ten Cate has voiced this as a possibility indicate that an HTC/Steve Clarke combination is actually being considered?

Whatever the case, I only hope that RA and K*nyon realise how much of a mistake it would be to let Clarkey go. He is just about the only link with the pre-Abramovitch era, and I believe has the respect of the players.

[ethicalstrategy]

Just because Kenyon told Ten Cate he was safe doesn't mean it's true. What are the chances of Kenyon telling the truth or even knowing?

[dkw]

Im not sure clarke or ten cate as manager would be a good idea, or indeed both lofty. ten carte didnt make a very good job as manager at ajax. and excellent coaches have quite often failed as a manager. brian kidd, steve mcclaren etc... . plus, maybe clarke wouldnt fancy the managers job.

edit. i agree id hate to see clarke leave though. the players and fans love him, and hes obviously good at his job. but a new manager quite often cleans out the training staff and brings his own in. hopefully roman or someone will make sure clarke stays. it will be a sad day if or when he leaves.

[abramovich]

My bet is that our next manager is involved in a tournament during the summer and cannot disrupt his current preparations by announcing he will be leaving in a few weeks. Once that tournament is over he'll come and work directly for the man who has been paying his wages indirectly for the past 2 or 3 years.

Just a hunch I've had since JM was sacked but I still reckon it's gonna be Hiddink myself.

Yes i thought about it too, but knowing the way things work in Russia i'm not so sure Hiddink wil be the one to take over.

In Russia politics and sport are always tangled up together ever since the days of the Cold War. Guus took charge of Russian national team at Roman's request and Abramovich pays a part of his wages. If Roman tries to intervene and steal Hiddink for Chelsea, his standing with Putin and other Russian top officials will suffer and Abramovich knows the game rules too well to do something like that.

The only way for that to happen if Hiddink is dismissed by the Russian FA after poor showing at the Euros and is free to do what he feels like but i wonder if RA and CFC board are willing to wait that long for something that may never come to pass.

[Lofty]

Fair point. But would K*nyon give Ten Cate the ok to go to the press if there was not some basis of truth to the story? No wait, this is K*nyon we're talking about.

Dkw: I wasn't actually suggesting that a Clarkey/Ten Cate team would be the best option, but wondering if it was actually being considered. Also my point was that efforts should be made to keep Clarkey on in his current position.

[Gem]

My bet is that our next manager is involved in a tournament during the summer and cannot disrupt his current preparations by announcing he will be leaving in a few weeks.

This is what pisses me off, we could get Huntelaar for £12/15m [still over priced but hey ho] now, but if he has a stunning Euro's, that could rise £10m or so...!!!! If we know a player is quality, get him before, otherwise his value will go up and we'll be back to square one.

Rijkaard is out of work at the moment so there wouldn't be any harm of announcing his appointment now would there? it'd give us stability and the players who know who their manager is next year.

EXACTLY!!!! We can't sort the players out until we get a new manager, so we're waiting for the whole of June and the majority of July till our players are secured? Not to mention new signings? Utterly pathetic IMO.

I know we want the best, and the best may be occupied at the moment, but it winds me up that we could miss out on top players because we haven't got a sodding manager.

[BLUENUT]

If Roman tries to intervene and steal Hiddink for Chelsea, his standing with Putin and other Russian top officials will suffer and Abramovich knows the game rules too well to do something like that.

What if he was already Romans man and was only loaned to Russia and their national squad until there was room at the bridge. That would have improved his standing in Russia, especially after they qualified for this summers Euro08.

Jose's exit coincided with what should have been Russia's exit from the tournament, then enter Steve McClaren and things may have been put on hold until the summer.

[abramovich]

If Roman tries to intervene and steal Hiddink for Chelsea, his standing with Putin and other Russian top officials will suffer and Abramovich knows the game rules too well to do something like that.

What if he was already Romans man and was only loaned to Russia and their national squad until there was room at the bridge.

Jose's exit coincided with what should have been Russia's exit from the tournament, then enter Steve McClaren and things may have been put on hold until the summer.

I see your point, but i doubt it. Hiddink is the first foreigner in history to head the national squad in Roman's home country and he was given a long contract so he could take Russian football to the next level, Euros or no Euros.Again, those big Russian boys won't take it lightly if they realize that Roman was just using Hiddink's current tenure as a stepping stone to the job at Chelsea. Roman knows very well what happens to the Russian oligarchs that bite the hand that feeds them, so to speak.

Also, i do believe that Roman arranged the 'Hiddink to Russia' deal with genuine desire to help the national team reach new heights and i fully expect to see him in the stands rooting for his countrymen in the upcoming Euro tournament.

[BLUENUT]

he was given a long contract so he could take Russian football to the next level

Sounds familiar.......

Roman hands out alot of these contracts doesn't he?

[abramovich]

he was given a long contract so he could take Russian football to the next level

Sounds familiar.......

Roman hands out alot of these contracts doesn't he?

Yes, but normally if he breaks a promise, he doesn't have to deal with ex-KGB hitmen chasing him around the world.

[midlandblue]

The next Chelsea manager was decided months ago. Long before we lost to Spurs in the League Cup Final, long before the dramatic conclusion to The Premier League and Champions League and long before Grant was given an extended contract. (an additional pay off to keep his mouth shut from a loyal friend)

I believe, and have stated this bfore, that Grant was told exactly what would happen regarless of how many or how few cups Chelsea had accumilated by the end of the season. This would explain his almost constant expression of not caring, because deep down, he didnt.

I beleive thet the next man to take charge at the bridge was unable to be in place at the start of the season but was told that come hell or high water the job would be his come the start of next season.

the question is ......who is it?

[WV2 Blue]

I heard on Talksport today that the Dutch press have reliably been informed that Rikjaard is almost 90% certain to take the job...

What about the other 10%

[Guest]

I believe, and have stated this bfore, that Grant was told exactly what would happen regarless of how many or how few cups Chelsea had accumilated by the end of the season. This would explain his almost constant expression of not caring, because deep down, he didnt.

I find seriously suggesting Avram Grant didn't care about getting results at Chelsea a bit rich.

Suggesting he tried but wasn't good enough is one thing, suggesting he doesn't care is another entirely.

Even assuming he was told months back his contract would be terminated at the end of the season, he'd still want to go out there and get results for (at the very least) the good of his own reputation as manager and raising the possibility of getting a new gig next season.

[callista]

Well I don't think you can assume much job security at Chelsea no matter what assurances are on offer.

Most new managers of note will bring in their own support staff and quite rightly not want to work with the reminants of an old regime, Grant was different because he was a company man, of little known pedigree and Roman could hire around him with no come back.

Clarke stayed with Jose because it was clear that here was a man with a vital link to the club and a bridge between the old and the new.

So if I was Cate I wouldn't be sitting on my sun lounger yet with a cocktail just assuming I will still be in a job come the new season.

[evissy]

This might be a sign for Rijkaard to take over, who knows?

Clarke will never be our manager, well in the near future anyway. If Roman/Chelsea think he was good enough he would already be our manager. It is a shame though.

Ten Cate is a question mark. We really don't know who he is and what he can do since we don't know how involved he has been with the team and how the players like him...

[Gem]

I believe, and have stated this bfore, that Grant was told exactly what would happen regarless of how many or how few cups Chelsea had accumilated by the end of the season. This would explain his almost constant expression of not caring, because deep down, he didnt.

From the Daily Mail website:

Sacked Chelsea boss Grant insists: I still love the club and will never sue them for getting rid of me

By Sportsmail Reporter

Last updated at 2:35 PM on 27th May 2008

Avram Grant has insisted he is not angry over his sacking by Chelsea and denied claims he will take the club to court in a bid to get more compensation.

However, he confirmed that he rejected an offer to return to his old role as director of football.

The Israeli, speaking in Tel Aviv, claimed he was not bitter and said: “Roman [Abramovich] gave me the opportunity and what I had to say to him was that I love the club and now each of us goes his own way.

“It was a wonderful chapter in my life. It was an extraordinary professional experience and it was good to end it with 40,000 fans cheering and appreciating my work.

“There are no problems with Chelsea, if I need to I will talk to them directly, not through lawyers.”

Grant joined the club as director of football last July but was promoted to manager following Jose Mourinho’s sacking two months later.

He said: “I understand the offer [to go back to his previous job] and why it was made but I thought that from my point of view it was not the correct move.

What I discussed will stay private but let’s say that I saw that it was not a good move for me at this stage.”

Assistant coach Henk ten Cate insists he does not fear for his job despite Grant’s dismissal.

Ten Cate will have a meeting with club officials tomorrow but said: “Peter Kenyon [chief executive] has already told me the sacking would have no consequences for me. The talk we will have was planned months ago.”

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So, the press say that he "snubbed his old job" - perhaps he did, but he says it wasn't a good move at that stage... maybe he still wants to manage? Or get his coaching badges? But no, let's just assume he has a huge grudge about how it ended.

Avram, you had little time, were fighting a losing battle from the start and had a lot of people on your back... I'd welcome him back to Stamford Bridge as a guest anytime.

Also, I'm glad his last memory if SB is being applauded by our fans.

[midlandblue]

Would you welcome him back as a manager or coach?

[ethicalstrategy]

I believe, and have stated this bfore, that Grant was told exactly what would happen regarless of how many or how few cups Chelsea had accumilated by the end of the season. This would explain his almost constant expression of not caring, because deep down, he didnt.

I find seriously suggesting Avram Grant didn't care about getting results at Chelsea a bit rich.

Suggesting he tried but wasn't good enough is one thing, suggesting he doesn't care is another entirely.

Absolutely right Qaz. No way did he not care.

[midlandblue]

ok, ok, to say he didnt care is a bit OTT, the point I was trying to make was that his commitment was not that of a person desperate to impress and improve in order to move forward and keep his job.

[Gem]

Would you welcome him back as a manager or coach?

At this moment in time, I can't say I would. I never believed he was the man to lead us forward, but he did extremely well under the circumstances. My main problem with him was if he had our key players on his side, and if they would stay if he remianed in charge.