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Avram Grant’s position at Stamford Bridge remains in doubt despite leading Chelsea to their first Champions League final. The uncertainty is such that no senior figure at Stamford Bridge is prepared to state — even in private — that the first-team coach will stay on. With no one able to second-guess Roman Abramovich’s intentions, the decision is on hold until the end of the season.
That Grant’s position is the subject of debate two days after leading Chelsea to the Moscow showpiece by defeating Liverpool is, to paraphrase John Terry, scarcely believable, but it says more about the unique nature of the club than the ability of a man who has overachieved in his first season at this level of management.
Much of the doubt is due to the power and inscrutability of Abramovich, the owner, who keeps his cards so close to his chest that even members of the board are unsure of his plans.
The Russian billionaire should be having the time of his life, with Chelsea challenging for the Barclays Premier League title and qualifying for the final in Moscow to justify his decision to replace José Mourinho, but the reality is different.
Although busy with business interests, shoring up Vladimir Putin’s new position as Russian Prime Minister and the delicate balancing act of seeing Daria Zhukova, his girlfriend, and his five children by Irina, his ex-wife, his lengthy absence from Stamford Bridge is still startling. Abramovich has not been seen at a match since the 2-1 win over Arsenal on March 23, creating a vacuum at the top of the club. During that period, there have been repeated criticisms of Chelsea’s style of football and question marks over Grant’s authority.
It is ironic that the doubts should surface again just as Grant has gained the respect of most of the players, the most vocal opponents of his appointment in the first place. As captain, Terry was always going to back the incumbent manager — as he did during the final days of Claudio Ranieri’s reign four years ago — but Grant has become closer to other players in recent weeks, particularly Frank Lampard.
“I think Avram deserves respect and rightly so,” Terry said. “I would have thought it’s enough to keep him in a job, as things have been very good and results don’t lie. You look at the Premier League table since the manager’s taken over and he’s been very good. To get to where we are and still question the manager’s role is unbelievable really. Everybody had a big part to play, none more so than the manager. It’s incredible. But it’s not just the manager, it’s the players and the coaching staff.”
Grant’s immediate concern is keeping Chelsea in the title race by winning away to Newcastle United on Monday, with the Israeli expressing fury at comments by Alan Curbishley, the West Ham United manager, that he would like Manchester United to end up as champions. The Israeli is expected to use today’s press conference to remind West Ham of their responsibilities to the integrity of the competition before their trip to Old Trafford tomorrow.
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what if Chelsea lose the Champs league and the Prem league? It makes no difference coming 2nd or 4th in the league or runners up in the champions league. The next couple of weeks will decide Avram Grants fate!
phil, Beijing, china
Some strange team this Chelsea, .Grant gets them within grasp of the title and to the UCL final (with an effective if not boring team at times). And their not sure about keeping him on .
Antoine, Warsaw, Poland
sorry leila, nothing anti-semetic about it - just footy. Remember how the press regularly crucified Jose? It's the Chelsea hot seat after all.
JM was idolised, then it seemed like RA's nonentity mate AG stabbed him in the back. Then AG flopped in the cups, but now he seems to be earning respect
Davie P, London,
Roger Tilbury should check his facts. Jose won TWO titles with Chelsea as well as a number of cups. That aside, people are being far too harsh on Avram Grant. His dignity and composure alone entitle him to far more respect than he gets.
Neil, Birmingham, UK
Unfortunately, it seems no-one dare criticise an Israeli without being branded an anti-semite. The reason Grant is under pressure is the team is still Mourinho's, the style of football is still dull and he has none of Mourinho's syle and charisma. Nothing to do with him being jewish!
Jon Mortimer, Prague, Czech
Shouldn't it be "unfazed" instead of "unphased"?
Bob, Reading,
UNFAZED......
Peter, London,
Oh dear! 'Unphased'? Unfazed surely. Tut tut editors.
John Howells, Begrade, Serbia
I think you'll find he's unfazed.
A Pedant, Oxford, England
roman's not gonna sack avram, he hasn't appointed a director of football above him.
leila sport's not about money, which is why all true football fans are already turned off, long since into lower divisions or other sports. no true fan would pay to watch boring chelsea under mourinho or grant.
reg, tonbridge,
I think this debate about Grant is created by the media. Every few months some reported writes a story or op-ed piece about why he should go or why they think Abramovich wants him out. He's not going anywhere! Why would he? He's had success, his team is happy and in the mix for two trophies!
R. Harris, London, UK
i think that grant does a great job as a manager in chelsea. admit that not all the managers in the world would be successful as he was. he took the club in a bad position and created a good and unified team. he made an history when he took chelsea to the the champions league final! so respect him!
ariel, tel aviv, israel
Avram Grant is the best thing happend to chlsea this season. I could understand the doubts at the beginning but now?!?!. I don't understand you english people, what should a coach do???
Avram took you to your first final. He is head to head with man united. Be reasonable already !!
Kobi, tel aviv, Israel
What achievement? Knocking out Olympiakos and Fenerbahce to reach the semi finals was no more than Chelsea or any big club would be entitled to expect. And credit for beating Liverpool surely owed a lot more to John Arne Riise head than Avram Grants tactical brain.
Steve, London,
'The Special One' was far more concerned with his status than the club. His one title was won with his predecessor's team. Wake up, Chelsea, you have a far better manager now who has taken you to the final and level at the top of the League with two games to go.
Roger Tilbury, Worthing,
S K Lin, who is Malcolm Fraser?
John Stich, London, UK
What has Avram Grant acheived, which manager do you know can not take a team far with the players that chelsea have.
Chelsea are BUYING the title...
What are chelsea going to acheive by sacking Grant?.....getting a new manager and doing the same thing?, the players make the team not the manager.
vish, liverpool,
so peter if whats u say its true its all about the players.in that case when the team loosing its allso just the players nothing to do with the manger . not becuase im israeli but i think he diserve littel just a littel respecet
yossi, tel aviv, israel
I'm warming to Avram, but he's won nothing yet, having flopped in the FA & League Cups. Maybe that's what is motivating the players that bit extra?
At the start of May last year Jose was still after the quadruple. Noone has else has ever come close - plus he wasn't allowed to buy any players for a
Davie P, London,
If I were Abramovich, I'd take Avram Grant and find another club which would be grateful for the money and success they have achieved.
The noises coming from the anti-semites at Chelsea are disgusting and worthy of contempt. Let's not be too frightened to state the obvious.
leila , manchester, uk
It's about time for you all journalists to change your attitude towards Grant, and apologize. Journalists, you have to admit: We were wrong. It is strange that "Times" is treating Grant as the lowest yellow newspaper. What else is needed to be done by Grant, to make you change your negative mind?
Hertzel Aviv, Holon, Israel
I am not defending Roman's absence at the last few games but how many games has Malcolm Fraser attended at Old Trafford?
S K Lin, Hong Kong, China
I think Grant should be feeling the pressure, this is the team and the style Jose created, he found a ready made packet, he has the classiest and best team in the world, with top quality players that he just needs to let lose on the field and they should perform.
Peter, Sheffield,
Its fair to assume that Chelsea FC is nothing more than a play thing for Abramovich. For the ardent fans its inconceivable that he would be absent from both semi final legs, it made me wonder whether he was prone to superstition or his work ethic merely quashed any fleeting interest in football.
Stephen Manick, Port of Spain, Trinidad