LONDON, Sept 21 (AFP): Big-spending Chelsea could face a player backlash following the shock departure of controversial but popular coach Jose Mourinho.
The Portuguese coach sensationally left Stamford Bridge Thursday by "mutual consent" after the club revealed there had been a "breakdown" in his relationship with the Chelsea hierarchy.
But Mourinho's influence is still huge at the English Premier League club, which attracted many top players because of Mourinho's reputation as a professional with a track record for winning.
His exit has left many players shocked ahead of this weekend's clash with champions Manchester United, ahead of which former Israel coach Avram Grant has been appointed as first team coach.
Defender Ricardo Carvalho, who arrived from FC Porto where he won the Champions League under Mourinho, was shocked and sad, and expressed his belief that the former manager was unsurpassed as a coach.
Carvalho said: "It is a very sad day for me and the team. I had a big offer from Real Madrid but I stayed at Chelsea because of Mourinho."
He added in the The Daily Mail: "For me there is no doubt, Jose Mourinho is the best coach in the world and I cannot believe that we have lost him.
"I never thought he would leave Chelsea without finishing his work, without achieving everything he wanted to.
"This is the first time he has ever done this and it will be terrible for him. He loved Chelsea.
"It has come as an enormous surprise to all the players.
"In the past few weeks the coach was unhappy because of our bad results but we were all working together towards a solution."
Midfielder Claude Makelele echoed Carvalho's shock although he admitted recent results had taken their toll on Mourinho.
Makelele told the Daily Star: "This news was like a bomb for me. I would never have believed we would see the exit of the coach just two months into the season.
"We have seen the tension on Mourinho with the results in the Premier League, but he was still confident.
"The new injuries had really hit the manager hard and you could see the anxiety grow as the results started to go wrong.
"I first heard the news after getting a text from a team-mate. I do not know the new manager that well but he is a football man and that is important for the future of Chelsea.
"He faces a big challenge because he will always be compared to Mourinho by the press and the fans."
Chelsea players feel pain of Mourinho exit
FE Team | Published: September 22, 2007 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00
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