Jose Mourinho has left Chelsea.

[Turbo Yannis]

I saw it on Sky Sports at about 6 this morning

Happy birthday to me

[stokeriño]

Chances of Lampard signing a new deal now are pretty slim, I'd say.

[wozzi]

So it look's like this Avram Grant guy is going to be the new manager. The guy's never managed outside Israel (according to Wikipedia).

From Wikipedia:

1972-1986 Hapoel Petah Tikva (Youth)

1986-1991 Hapoel Petah Tikva

1991-1995 Maccabi Tel Aviv

1995-1996 Hapoel Haifa

1996-2000 Maccabi Tel Aviv

2000-2002 Maccabi Haifa

2002-2006 Israel

[Liam]

They're never going to find someone as good as Mourinho, since whilst being a good manager aswell, he had the fucking confidence.

Couldn't have said it better.

The Premiership's lost a top manager unfortunately. We're back to the boring Sir Alex and Arsene Wenger once more talking and talking and talking absolutely shit and bollocks in the most uninteresting ways in the world.

Anyone who didn't like Jose just has no sense of humour. Most complete manager in a long time, and the Premiership won't be the same now. Pretty much no reason to watch after match interviews now.

Gay

And this. As just a fan of football, its sad that he's left Chelsea, as he was a proper character, whether you liked or loathed him. Shame, really.

[Michael]

Fucking horrendous.

He is a Chelsea legend. Yes he had the money, but Ranieri showed it takes more than that. Premiership in his first two seasons in English football. Amazing. His legacy will live forever in my heart and in most Chelsea fans hearts I'm sure. The new replacement (inevitably) looks like a let down and a gamble.

The thing that scares me is that it looks like my club is now being run by an FA type regime who want yes men - i.e. McClaren instead of Scolari, this new bloke instead of Jose. That isn't good. We've lived through this nightmare before with Ken Bates. I don't want to do it again.

I feel really sorry for the bloke. I guess the politics must have just got too much and knowing how good he is himself, decided that enough was enough.

Edited September 20, 2007 by Michael

[Dan]

Avram Grant.

Bwahaha.

[a. #63]

I bet Grant will just be a puppet to whom Abrahimovich tells what to do and who to play.

Edited September 20, 2007 by a. #63

[stokeriño]

I bet Grant will just a puppet to whom Abrahimovich tells what to do and who to play.

Watch the number of Shevchenko's starts sky-rocket. <_>

[Gazz]

Hiddink to be manager within a week of Russia getting knocked out of Euro 2008, if they even get there.

[stokeriño]

How slow a news days must it be for the Prime Minister's newsroom to feel compelled to issue a statement on Mourinho's departure? >_>

"The Prime Minister is a football fan and somebody who enjoys watching Premier League games, so he knows Mourinho has a fantastic record of success.

"He's made a significant contribution to British football in a short period of time and he's also one of the great characters of the game."

A spokesperson for PM Gordon Brown

[Liam]

JOSE ON JOSE

"Please don't call me arrogant, but I'm European champion and I think I'm a special one."

Introducing himself to the English press after arriving from Porto in 2004.

"If I wanted to have an easy job... I would have stayed at Porto - beautiful blue chair, the Uefa Champions League trophy, God, and after God, me."

Making a mockery of those who suggest he is big-headed.

"For me, pressure is bird flu. I'm feeling a lot of pressure with the problem in Scotland. It's not fun and I'm more scared of it than football."

Insisting his side wouldn't catch a cold as Man Utd breathed down their necks.

"Look at my haircut. I am ready for the war."

Unveiling his new Action Man haircut.

WORDS OF WISDOM

"It's like having a blanket that is too small for the bed. You pull the blanket up to keep your chest warm and your feet stick out. I cannot buy a bigger blanket because the supermarket is closed. But the blanket is made of cashmere!"

On the injury 'crisis' at Chelsea in February.

"Young players are a little bit like melons. Only when you open and taste the melon are you 100% sure that the melon is good."

On developing Chelsea's young stars.

"The style of how we play is very important. But it is omelettes and eggs. No eggs - no omelettes! It depends on the quality of the eggs. In the supermarket you have class one, two or class three eggs and some are more expensive than others and some give you better omelettes. So when the class one eggs are in Waitrose and you cannot go there, you have a problem."

What turned out to be his parting shot to Roman Abramovich.

"I would love an Aston Martin but if you ask me £1m for an Aston Martin, I tell you, you are crazy because they cost £250,000."

Insisting not even Chelsea would pay over the odds for a defender.

"Sometimes you see beautiful people with no brains. Sometimes you have ugly people who are intelligent, like scientists. Our pitch is a bit like that. From the top it's a disgrace but the ball rolls at normal speed."

Describing Chelsea's sandpit of a pitch.

"We all want to play great music all the time, but if that is not possible, you have to hit as many right notes as you can."

Admitting the Blues weren't completely on song last season.

"Maybe the guy drank red wine or beer with breakfast instead of milk."

After a Sheffield United fan threw a bottle at Frank Lampard during Chelsea's 2-0 win at Bramall Lane.

"A player from Man City showed half of his ass for two seconds and it was a big nightmare. But this is a real nightmare."

Comparing Petr Cech's nasty injury with Joey Barton's bottom-baring antics.

THE WIFE

"She is the real manager of family life. You are the star outside, here you are not a star."

Mourinho admits his wife wears the trousers at home.

"It all depends on my wife. If I am at home, yes, I will see it. But maybe my wife would like to go somewhere. I would like to see it - I like to see football and it is a big game. But maybe I will have no permission."

Waiting to hear whether he'd be allowed to watch Arsenal-Man Utd.

"My wife is in Portugal with the dog. The dog is with my wife so the city of London is safe, the big threat is away."

Reassuring the population that his runaway Yorkshire Terrier had left the country with his wife.

PLAYERS

"A brilliant reaction. I hate it when players just walk off."

Following Arjen Robben's sharp exit down the tunnel after being substituted against Aston Villa.

"As you know Gallas had an unbelievable holiday. I hope he enjoyed it very much in Guadeloupe, which I think is a fantastic place to be on holiday, so he wanted to stay there for a long time."

On William Gallas missing the first team's trip to the United States because he was on holiday.

"I did it because I want to push my son to do the same. I also did it because I want to push the young players on my team to have a proper haircut, not the Rastafarian or the others they have."

Mourinho confirming he's a cut above the rest with his skinhead.

REFEREES

"When I saw Rijkaard entering the referee's dressing room I couldn't believe it. When Drogba was sent off I didn't get surprised."

Claiming Barcelona boss Frank Rijkaard had met with Anders Frisk at half-time in their Champions League tie.

"If you ask me if I jump with happiness when I know Mr Poll is our referee? No."

Not a fan of Graham Poll.

"I could feel immediately the movement. To somebody that understands the game and feels the football, smells the situation, it was obvious."

Senses working overtime after a dodgy offside flag denies Chelsea a goal against Blackburn.

RIVALS

"Wenger has a real problem with us and I think he is what you call in England a voyeur. He is someone who likes to watch other people. There are some guys who, when they are at home, have this big telescope to look into the homes of other people and see what is happening. Wenger must be one of them - and it is a sickness."

Astonishing attack on Arsene Wenger.

"Three years without a Premiership title? I don't think I would still be in a job."

Putting the boot into Rafa Benitez.

"Many great managers have never won the Champions League - a big example is not far from us."

Reminding Wenger there's only room for one Special One in London.

"Liverpool are favourites because in the year 2007 we've played 27 matches and Liverpool play three or four."

Cranking up the pressure ahead of the Champions League semi-final second leg.

"If you're not a big club, you choose one competition and you fight in that competition and forget the others. Big clubs - we cannot do this."

Warming to his theme.

"I am happy to be six points behind. In my opinion, Manchester United did not take advantage of our bad moments."

Delighted Manchester United are so far ahead in the Premiership in January.

"I want to give my congratulations to them because they won. But we were the best team."

In typically gracious mood after his side's Carling Cup defeat by Charlton on penalties.

THE WORLD IS AGAINST US

"This is the only time we have had to play before United and that's because we control the fixtures. Just imagine if we didn't control them!"

Hitting back at Sir Alex Ferguson's claim that Chelsea engineered their game with Tottenham to take place just 39 hours after Spurs' Uefa Cup match in Seville.

"How do you say 'cheating' in Catalan? Barcelona is a cultural city with many great theatres and this boy has learned very well. He's learned play acting."

Claiming Lionel Messi got Asier Del Horno sent off in a Champions League defeat by Barcelona.

"During the afternoon it rained only in this stadium - our kitman saw it - they tried everything. There must be a microclimate here."

Bemoaning Blackburn's pitch-watering tactics after the Blues' hard-fought win at Ewood Park.

IN DEFENCE OF CHELSEA

"We have eight matches and eight victories, with 16 goals, but people say we cannot play, that we are a group of clowns. This is not right."

On his high horse after beating Liverpool.

"Entertaining? Too much!"

After the roller-coaster 3-2 win over Birmingham on the opening day of the season.

"I think I have a naive team. They are naive because they are pure and they are clean. We don't have divers, we don't have violent people."

On his clean-living Chelsea boys, after Florent Malouda won a dodgy penalty against Liverpool.

WHAT THE REST THINK OF HIM

"If Chelsea are naive and pure then I'm Little Red Riding Hood."

Rafa Benitez suspects Jose is telling porkies.

"My wife will be glad about Mourinho coming to Bramall Lane because he's a good looking swine, isn't he?"

Neil Warnock.

"He is almost a Yorkshireman with a Portuguese accent."

Warnock again.

"When Mourinho says training will last one-and-a-half hours it will never last a second longer."

Former Chelsea striker Eidur Gudjohnsen on Mourinho's worrying attention to detail.

"I find it out of order, disconnected with reality and disrespectful."

Arsene Wenger did not take too kindly to the 'voyeur' comments.

"Two finals in three years - not bad for a little club.''

Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard twists the knife after his side, branded a "little club" by Mourinho, reached the Champions League final at Chelsea's expense.

Off the BBC website.

[stokeriño]

Damn you Liam, I just spent ages formatting that to post it in here.

But for these quotes alone, truly he is a legend.

[Michael]

So many great memories them quotes.

I want Jose back.

[Liam]

Damn you Liam, I just spent ages formatting that to post it in here.

But for these quotes alone, truly he is a legend.

I assumed thats what you were doing, I was just lazy and whacked it in pretty much as is >_>

[stokeriño]

I imagine that at the next home game (vs. Fulham, tickets sold out), the Jose chants from the fans will be awesome.

[Baddar]

Former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho is in line to receive up to £25m in compensation after his departure from Stamford Bridge, BBC Sport understands.

The Portuguese was swiftly replaced on Thursday by former director of football Avram Grant after three years in charge.

But he still has another three years to run on his reputed £5.2m-a-year deal.

Lawyers are still working on the severance package that will include confidentiality clauses.

According to BBC football correspondent Jonathan Legard, discussions are said to be well advanced as the split was seen coming.

Legard has also been told Mourinho was feeling a sense of relief since the departure.

"He's felt boxed-in from demands on high, he's felt boxed-in from the boardroom in terms of boardroom dealings," Legard said.

"And he's felt under pressure from those alongside him in the dugout, namely the man who has succeeded him, Avram Grant."

Edited September 20, 2007 by BaddarD2k7

[If_You_Wanna_Be_The_Man]

Apparently today he was at the training ground to say good bye to the players and told them that the Portugal National Team was his next destination. Does that mean Big Phil Scolari is out of a job? As a consequence of that does that mean Steve McLaren is out of a job? Be interesting to see.

[Johnny Latino Heat]

Apparently today he was at the training ground to say good bye to the players and told them that the Portugal National Team was his next destination. Does that mean Big Phil Scolari is out of a job? As a consequence of that does that mean Steve McLaren is out of a job? Be interesting to see.

Edited September 20, 2007 by Johnny Latino Heat

[Baddar]

Apparently today he was at the training ground to say good bye to the players and told them that the Portugal National Team was his next destination. Does that mean Big Phil Scolari is out of a job? As a consequence of that does that mean Steve McLaren is out of a job? Be interesting to see.

Don't think so. The League chairman's head is so far up Scolari's ass that he won't fire him in the near future. Even after Scolari punched the Serbian guy, Madail (the chairman) came out and said that firing Scolari was out of the question (this is the same man that said he had zero tolerance for unprofessional behavior and banned a sub-20 player for a year for taking the red card out of the ref's hand, yet Scolari can punch an opposition player and gets away with no punishment at all from Madail).

So basically, I seriously doubt Scolari's place is in jeopardy at least until Euro 2008 ends (if Portugal qualifies, that is).

Firing Scolari was out of the question, because a certain Mr. Mourinho was otherwise engaged at Chelsea

[If_You_Wanna_Be_The_Man]

Apparently today he was at the training ground to say good bye to the players and told them that the Portugal National Team was his next destination. Does that mean Big Phil Scolari is out of a job? As a consequence of that does that mean Steve McLaren is out of a job? Be interesting to see.

Don't think so. The League chairman's head is so far up Scolari's ass that he won't fire him in the near future. Even after Scolari punched the Serbian guy, Madail (the chairman) came out and said that firing Scolari was out of the question (this is the same man that said he had zero tolerance for unprofessional behavior and banned a sub-20 player for a year for taking the red card out of the ref's hand, yet Scolari can punch an opposition player and gets away with no punishment at all from Madail).

So basically, I seriously doubt Scolari's place is in jeopardy at least until Euro 2008 ends (if Portugal qualifies, that is).