CL draw - my picks to advance in bold.

Group A
Liverpool
Porto
Marseille
Besiktas

Group B
Chelsea
Valencia
Schalke
Rosenborg

Group C
Real Madrid
Werder Bremen
Lazio
Olympiakos

Group D
AC Milan
Benfica
Celtic
Shakhtar Donetsk

Group E
Barcelona
Lyon
Stuttgart
Rangers

Group F
Manchester United
Roma
Sporting Lisbon
Dynamo Kiev

Group G
Inter Milan
PSV Eindhoven
CSKA Moscow
Fenerbahce

Group H
Arsenal
Sevilla or AEK
Steaua Bucharest
Slavia Prague

Can't say I particularly disagree with any of those.

The Champions League draw serves as fresh propaganda for Uefa's new president. Michel Platini could roll the sheet of paper up and rap it on the head of anyone who persists in disputing that the competition has got a little stale. All the usual faces are there and, what is more, many of them are playing one another immediately.

Those who loved last season are in for a treat because parts of it are to be repeated shortly. Chelsea came through a gruelling quarter-final with Valencia in April when Michael Essien scored in the 90th minute of the second leg at the Mestalla. The well-equipped Spanish side now have an early opportunity to take another swing at Jose Mourinho's side.

It was also in the quarter-finals that Manchester United won the return leg over AS Roma 7-1 at Old Trafford in April. The forthcoming rematch might be a fixation for such epic losers, particularly since the coach Luciano Spalletti has otherwise impressed by making the team runners-up in Serie A and winning the Italian Cup. The squad has even been improved with newcomers such as Ludovic Giuly.

Celtic's draw was a perfect exercise in deja vu. The manager Gordon Strachan can prepare by consulting his memory. His side eliminated Benfica in the group stage last season before being eliminated in the last 16 by AC Milan. There is not much obscurity about the remaining contenders in Group D, even if it was Martin O'Neill, Strachan's predecessor, who led Celtic against Shakhtar Donetsk in 2004.

The familiarity will not annoy those managers who appreciate the gentle gradient of the path before them. Despite Schalke's great and passionate support, a Bundesliga side will very likely lack the resources to put Valencia and Chelsea under pressure over the course of Group B. The limitations of the other participants Rosenborg Trondheim, are even more marked.

Similarly the outcome of Roma's bid to recover self-respect against United should not prevent both clubs from progressing at the expense of Sporting Lisbon and Dinamo Kiev. If Sir Alex Ferguson has any regret about the draw it will lie purely in the inconvenience of a long flight to Ukraine.

The pattern is clear in several of these groups, with the first and second seeds markedly superior to the other clubs. Arsenal could have engrossing games with Sevilla, the Uefa Cup holders who hold a 2-0 lead over AEK Athens that ought to be sufficient when the return leg of the third qualifying round tie is played in Greece on Monday. It was postponed following the death of the Spanish international Antonio Puerta.

Neither Sevilla nor Arsène Wenger's team will shudder at the prospect of Steaua Bucharest or Sparta Prague. Having seen off the Czech champions Slavia Prague 5-0 on aggregate in the qualifying round, Arsenal can be relaxed about meeting the runners-up from the capital.

Were it not for their outstanding start to the season, Liverpool might be marginally more pensive since Porto are the reigning champions of Portugal and there were signs last season of Marseille regaining a trace of their former prowess. Perhaps Rafael Benítez's team might be too harassed in Istanbul when they take on Besiktas to enjoy a sentimenatal return to the the city where the Champions League was won so unforgettably in 2005.

Despite all the respectful remarks that will be made, Liverpool surely cannot discern a genuine danger of calamity. They, after all, have a bigger and better squad than they did when triumphing two years ago.

That is indicative of an ascendancy by the English, Spanish and Italian leagues that troubles Platini, among many others. The economic force of the domination will spring to mind in Group F when United take on Sporting Lisbon. By proposing a fee that could reach £14m, Sir Alex Ferguson made it impossible for the Portuguese club to hold on to the attacker Nani this summer.

In this draw the romance is found with those who are up against the odds yet still harbour hopes. Rangers come into that category. While Barcelona must surely be unassailable, Lyon are in the throes of change after six consecutive titles and Gérard Houllier's successor Alain Perrin has had a vexing start to his tenure. Stuttgart may be Bundesliga holders, but most clubs will be glad the rampant Bayern Munich failed to qualify for the Champions League.

The tournament does have two completely different faces. As Rangers square up to a great challenge, the group of elite clubs simply see themselves bedding down in the tournament. Internazionale cannot consider PSV Eindhoven, CSKA Moscow and Fenerbahce without musing over the prospect that they will enter the last 16 without having taken too much out of themselves.

Such divisions are encapsulated in Britain. While Celtic and Rangers know they must give everything they have in the bid to escape their groups, United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal can hope to keep something in reserve.

Also deadline day here. Exciting.

^ It really wasn't


From 4-4-2 magazine. Spoliers

100 Best players in the world

100 Shunsuke Nakamura
099 Alexandro Patto
098 Maicon
097 Jamie Carragher
096 Sergio Aguero
095 Nery Castilo
094 Javier Mascherano
093 Adrian Mutu
092 Kim Kallstrom
091 Filippo Inzaghi
090 Javier Zanetti
089 Eduardo Da Silva
088 Faio Quagliarella
087 Diego Milito
086 Gabriel Milito
085 Gary Neville
084 Juninho
085 Rafael van der Vaart
082 Robin Van Persie
081 Samir Nasri
080 Ricardo Quaresma
079 Carles Puyol
078 Nemanja Vidic
077 Maxi Rodriguez
076 Phillip Lahm
075 Gianluca Zambrotta
074 Torsen Frings
073 Pavel Nedved
072 Fredi Kanoute
071 Kolo Toure
070 Vincente
069 Diego Forlan
068 Michael Owen
067 William Gallas
066 Ze Roberto
065 Frank Ribery
064 Adriy Shevchenko
063 Patrick Vieira
062 Diego
061 Simao Sabrosa
060 Arjen Robben
059 Robinho
058 Joe Cole
057 Miroslav Klose
056 Sergio Ramos
055 Luca Toni
054 Alex
053 Hernan Crespo
052 Owen Hargreaves
051 Wesley Sneijder
050 Ronaldo
049 David Silva
048 Andres Iniesta
047 Dejan Stankovic
046 Clarence Seedorf
045 Florent Malouda
044 Carlos Teves
043 David Beckham
042 Daniele De Rossi
041 Michael Ballack
040 Lucio
039 David Suazo
038 Dimitar Berbatov
037 David Albelda
036 Alessandra Nesta
035 Ricardo Carvalho
034 Fernando Torres
033 Cesc Fabregas
032 Xavi Hernandez
031 Juan Roman Riquelme
030 Iker Casillas
029 Ryan Giggs
028 Paolo Maldini
027 Ashley Cole
026 Gennaro Gattuso
025 Frank Lampard
024 Rio Ferdinand
023 Deco
022 John Terry
021 Zlatan Ibrahimovic
020 Michael Essien
019 David Villa
018 Francesco Totti
017 Paul Scholes
016 Roberto Ayala
015 Ruud Van Nistelrooy
014 Andrea Pirlo
013 Didier Drogba
012 Daniel Alves
011 Peter Cech
010 Fabio Cannavaro
009 Glanluigi Buffon
008 Wayne Rooney
007 Samuel Eto'o
006 Steven Gerrard
005 Lionel Messi
004 Thierry Henry
003 Ronaldinho
002 Cristiano Ronaldo
001 Kaka

Owen has England up 2-0 in the "must win" against Russia right now. If England win I might start to believe they will qualify for Euro '08. Might.

With two going through it's going to be a case of not losing in Moscow will be enough.

And stupid Fox Soccer Channel is showing Albania/Holland

I know! They always get the worst Euro qualifiers. The guys on the FSR at night don't even conceal their laughter anymore when trying to promote these horrible qualifiers.

They should have shown France Scotland. Now that was funny.

I just saw the score. Those fookin' Scots might actually qualify.

Four points from Ukraine and Italy and they will do.

Time for Mexico to own Brazil again, seriously. Mexico just seems to eke out games against Brazil on regular basis and yet struggle with lesser teams. Anyway, they will have Dos Santos and Nery Castillo on the pitch for the 1st time. It should be an interesting friendly.

Wow, Dos Santos is in the squad? Didn't realise that. Mexico look seriously strong. The last world cup was probably a bit soon for them, but come the next one they'll be a very interesting proposition.

Also, HUGE lolz at France. Can't believe Domenech is still their coach.

Yeah, Guardado, Castillo and Dos Santos, I can't recall any Mexico team having that much speed and talent on offense. I guess they're a bit small, I mean Marquez is usually the tallest guy and the main threat on set pieces. Mexico needs another/younger Borgetti type and it would be pretty much set.

Well, don't they have that guy Bautista or something? He seemed quite a biggish guy whenever I saw him play. Although from what I've heard he seems to be a bit of a lose cannon.


But yeah, Mexico mean business

Mexico lost 1-3.
But...Ochoa is a beast! I think a lot of other countries would kill to have a keeper at his age with those skills.
Dos Santos, well he's just gonna get better. So, looking good el tri.

Match Day 1 of the Champions League, very exciting.

Liverpool just leveled to 1-1 at Porto.

I'm DVR-ing the Liverpool v. Porto match. But based on ESPN Soccernet's game tracker Richardo Quaresma is doing whatever the hell he likes against the 'Pool defense.

Chelsea aren't doing to well at the less said about Celtic the better.

Forest given 'free goal' by Foxes

Nottingham Forest were given a 'free goal' but lost their replayed Carling Cup tie with Leicester 3-2. The original second-round game between the two sides was abandoned with Forest leading 1-0 at half-time after City's Clive Clarke suffered heart failure.

Sportingly, City allowed Forest keeper Paul Smith to score straight from the kick-off to replicate the scoreline.

And City chairman Milan Mandaric said: "This will not hurt football, I'm proud of the players and happy we did it."

He added: "The idea came from the whole club - we all like to win games but morality and fairness is also important.

"It was a difficult situation, but it was the right thing to do."

Leicester boss Gary Megson said: "I had a chat with Forest manager Colin Calderwood 20 minutes before the kick-off to explain what we had in mind but it was kept very quiet until just before the start."

Calderwood added: "Leicester felt it was the correct thing to do and I must admit it took us back a little bit to start with.

"But it was an honourable gesture and I would like to think that football in general has come out of the game as the winner.

"I think the crowd took it in the spirit it was intended."



Story from BBC SPORT:

Arsenal just absolutely tore Sevilla apart.

They did, Man Utd did the job in Lisbon.


BUT



Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has sensationally left Stamford Bridge, according to BBC Radio 5live football correspondent Jonathan Legard.

The news comes just 24 hours after the disappointing Champions League draw against Rosenborg.

Legard understands that Mourinho has texted senior players, including skipper John Terry, with the news of his departure from Stamford Bridge.

There has been no official word so far from the Premier League club.

Mourinho joined Chelsea in the summer of 2004 and led them to the Premiership title in each of his first two seasons in charge.

Last season they finished runners-up to Manchester United but won both the FA Cup and Carling Cup, a trophy they had also collected in 2005.

His achievements also saw him voted as Premiership manager of the year in 2005 and 2006.

However the Champions League trophy eluded the club and this season's campaign started with Tuesday's shock 1-1 result against the Norwegians in front of a crowd of just 24,973.

It was their third successive game without a win following a 2-0 defeat at Aston Villa and a goalless draw with Blackburn in the Premier League.

Those results have left Chelsea fifth in the table - two points behind leaders Arsenal and with a visit to Manchester United to come on Sunday.

He did have one unique record during his reign in never losing a home league game at Stamford Bridge.

Mourinho signed a five-year contract in 2005 and quashed speculation in January that he would leave Stamford Bridge in the summer by saying he was happy to see out his deal if he received "real support" from the club.

Holy shit, I just saw this story come through my inbox.

Fabio Capello will probably be in charge before the end of the month.

HE GONE!

So anyway, how about that Fernerbahce.

I think it could be a case of waiting for the international break and we could see either him Hiddink, Ramos or Deschamps.

I shocking lost to English football I hope he gets the Spurs job or something.

Chelsea are set to name Avram Grant as their new manager replacing former boss Jose Mourinho, BBC Sport understands.

Mourinho in his own words
By Chris Charles

The shock news that Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has left the club will dismay sports journalists across the land.

Love him or loathe him, there was never a dull moment when the 'Special One' was around - whenever he opened his mouth you could guarantee it would be headline news.

Below are a selection of Mourinho's finest quotes since arriving at Chelsea from Porto. The Premier League will be a duller place without him.

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 be to 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 to 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.

"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, reach the Champions League final at Chelsea's expense.

Story from BBC SPORT:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/sport1/hi...ame/7004282.stm

"I told Mr Ferguson United didn't deserve to leave with nothing".
After Chelsea beat Manchester United 1-0 in Mourinho's first game as manager.

* "We have top players and, sorry if I'm arrogant, we have a top manager."

* "As we say in Portugal, they brought the bus and they left the bus in front of the goal."
- after a 0-0 draw with Tottenham Hotspur

* "If he helped me out in training we would be bottom of the league and if I had to work in his world of big business, we would be bankrupt."
- on Chelsea F.C. owner Roman Abramovich

* "I saw their players and manager go for a lap of honour after losing to us in their last home game. In Portugal if you do this, they throw bottles at you."
- on Manchester United

* "Pressure? What pressure? Pressure is poor people in the world trying to feed their families. Working from dawn till dust just to feed their young. There is no pressure in football"
- speaking in a post-match interview

* "Everybody wants Chelsea to lose a game. When they do they should declare a public holiday."
- Speaking in a press conference about Chelsea's leading Premiership start in the 2005-06 season

* "We are on top at the moment but not because of the club's financial power. We are in contention for a lot of trophies because of my hard work."

* "You have to wonder why they did that penalty. Because they have so many penalties in the season, that's why. They have to do something special and different."
- on Arsenal's penalty mix-up in October 2005

* "It's not the Premiership, it's not the FA cup, it's not the Champions League but its still a cup and we must respect it" - speaking about the Carling Cup.

"I can tell you now, to stop you (journalists) from asking, that as long as he is not scoring, Shevchenko will play."
- on Andriy Shevchenko's goal drought.

* "The linesman scored the goal. No-one knows if that shot went over the line and you must be 100%"
after losing to a contentious Liverpool goal in the Champions League semi-final 2005

* "99,99% of the Liverpool fans think they are in the final. They are not."
on the Liverpool fans celebration like they were already through to the final after drawing the first leg in the Champions League semi-final 2005

* "They are in the final and from my heart I hope they win it. The night belongs to them and I don't want to criticise them"
on Liverpool in Europe

* "That was not a football score, it was a hockey score...in training I often play matches of three against three and when the score reaches 5-4 I send the players back to the dressing room, because they are not defending properly"
on the Tottenham vs Arsenal match, which ended 5-4 to Arsenal

* "Pavel Nedvěd, Paul Scholes, Luís Figo have all retired from international football. With the Czechs, England and Portugal it is ok, but France? They don't have liberty. It is unbelievable. Makélélé is not a footballer, he is a slave. He has no human rights, no right to choice or liberty, so he is a slave. But the rules are there, so what can we do?" - criticizing France coach Raymond Domenech for calling up Claude Makélélé for Euro 2008 qualifiers, after Makélélé announced his retirement from international football after the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

* "There are only two ways for me to leave Chelsea. One way is in June 2010 when I finish my contract and if the club doesn't give me a new one. It is the end of my contract and I am out. The second way is for Chelsea to sack me. The way of the manager leaving the club by deciding to walk away, no chance! I will never do this to Chelsea supporters"
- on the possibility of him leaving of his own choice during the 06/07 season

"Look, we're not entertaining? I don't care; we win."
- on Chelsea's performance at the start of the 2006-07 season

* "The circumstances are difficult for us with the new football rules that we have to face. It is not possible to have a penalty against Manchester United and it is not possible to have penalties in favour of Chelsea. It is not a conspiracy, it is fact. I speak facts. If not, I need big glasses."
- commenting after Chelsea had a penalty appeal turned down during a game against Newcastle, a day after Middlesbrough had a controversial penalty turned down against Manchester United.

"When I go to the press conference before the game, in my mind the game has already started. And when I go to the press conference after the game, the game has not finished yet."

"I think you need me to say something that will stop these strange questions. You want me to say 'we are going to be champions'? Well, we are going to be champions. You have something to write now. It doesn't matter about the result against Blackburn or Manchester United, we will be champions."
At a press conference, prior to it Chelsea drew their last two games and individuals started to question his teams early season confidence.

"Ricardo Carvalho seems to have problems understanding things, maybe he should have an IQ test, or go to a mental hospital or something,"
- After Carvalho blasted Mourinho for not picking him to play

“I don’t want him to teach me how to lose 4-0 in a Champions League final because I don’t want to learn that,
questioning Johan Cruyff after he criticized his team style of play

"Why drive Aston Martin all the time, when i have Ferrari and Porsche as well? That would just be stupid"
- on the issue of rotating Joe Cole, Arjen Robben and Damien Duff]

* "Forget the mind games - I like him. I think he sees himself as the young gunslinger who has come into town to challenge the sheriff who has been around a while. He was certainly full of it, calling me "boss" and "big man" when we had our post-match drink."
- Sir Alex Ferguson

* "Mourinho has a very strong personality. He is also relatively young, which means he speaks the same language as the players. He's the same person I met eight years ago. His success hasn't changed him. He has a few good friends and he's devoted to his family."
- Portuguese agent Jorge Mendes

* "He is a very good communicator and can speak to the players in their own language. He is also very well organized. His team allies structure with individual talent."
- UEFA Technical Director Andy Roxburgh

* "People are jealous. They say nasty things about him because they don't know him. They don't like to see the boy next door making good. He is much more open than a lot of coaches. He's a great winner. He's someone special." -
Friend of the Mourinho family and ex-colleauge of Félix Mourinho, Jose's father,Tomé.

well damn. people reacting in england like their mama just died.

I did have that feeling today that everyone was talking like he had died.

No chance of that I don't think. Roman sacked Jose because he wants a flair team that people will remember. Ramos would be the best man for the job, if not him then Lippi. Mourinho is basically Capello Jr.

Roman wants it too many ways. His flair team will go the way of Newcastle and have no chance of success in the C. League. He must be looking for someone else as I'm sure a few of the players joined the club / stayed at the club because of Jose. A lot could depend on the next round of internationals, rumours have been long standing that RA is paying Hiddink's wages at the Russia job but GH says he doesn't want to return to club football. Likewise Portugal are crying out for their campaign to be kick started and with Scolari's touchline ban it's a possibility but I think he'll still want to be in club management and if the odds weren't so short I'd be guessing Daniel Comolli and Levy are drawing up a big wage packet at White Hart Lane despite last night's 6-1 win.

When you have that kind of money you can win with flair. Ramos with Ronaldinho, Shevchenko and people like that at his disposal wouldn't play like Newcastle. More like Barcelona under Cruyff, except he's better in Europe.

Well yeah, but Ramos knows how to win in Europe.

Plus I don't think Mourinho has ever played a team anywhere near as good as that Milan team.

Well yeah, who has. I can't think of a better club team in my lifetime of watching football.

Yeah in terms of football history there's the Real Madrid of Puskas, Di Stefano, Gento, Kopa and Santamaria, then there's Pele's Santos and then there's that Milan team.

Winning Serie A by only scoring 34 and conceding 15 in 36 games is quite the feat if the fans only saw a goal scored every hour through the season is a little off putting. Like The 'great' Gillingham side of 1995-6!

Arsenal completely dismantling Sevilla the other day took Ramos out of the running. It just highlighted that a 3rd best Spanish side would be 5th or 6th best in England.

The reason I still think it will be Capello - despite playing a similar match - is b/c Roman knows he has to replace a huge name with an equally huge and respected name as the manager.

I think Mourihno will take his $40m and relax for the rest of the season. I doubt he'll ever consider Spurs and he is 15 years away from really wanting to manage a national team. Inter Milan, Barca and Juve are probably all getting ready to approach him w/ offers.

I don't think you can read too much into the Arsenal result. Arsenal can dismantle any team on it's day. Capello's Juventus looked miles worse than that when they played Arsenal a couple of years ago, didn't even look like they were playing the same sport. Ramos' Sevilla work is really quite astounding when you consider he's managing what is in effect a selling club, without the budget to go out and buy established world class players and has taken the fight to Real and Barca in La Liga and has won the UEFA cup twice in a row with that team. Given Sevilla's current situation and mental state post the death of Puerta I think you're being harsh.

If he wants an established manager he'll go for someone like Lippi or Hiddink. I think the problem he had with Jose was that although they were winning, in 20 years not many people will look back and think "fuck, that Chelsea team of the mid 00's was something else" and that Mourinho's era is more likely to be thought of as the era of Rijkaard's Barcelona. That's the kind of thing Roman wants to be doing.

La Liga and EPL are pretty much exactly even.

I could see Hiddink since he's already being paid to coach Russia by Roman. Lippi would be another potential ego that clashes w/ him though.

So would Capello, or really any worthwhile coach. If he wants a puppet he should just stick with Grant.

lol at van basten sitting behind roman yesterday. tact is not that russians strong point.

And he was clapping when Shevchenko came off. Which for Roman is about as emotional as you can get.

More rumour and innuendo.



Duncan Castles
Sunday September 23, 2007
The Observer

Jose Mourinho's relationship with John Terry has broken down completely over the Chelsea and England captain's central role in his departure from Stamford Bridge last week.

The Champions League-winning coach was replaced on Thursday by Avram Grant, a former Israel national team coach with no experience of club management outside his own country. According to many Chelsea sources, Grant will defer on football matters to owner Roman Abramovich, who has already started to take a hands-on role with the first team.

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Mourinho holds Terry responsible for charges levelled by Chelsea's board of directors that he had lost the support of his playing staff after Tuesday's Champions League draw with Rosenborg - a match that was followed by club owner Roman Abramovich lecturing a senior professional on his on-field tactics behind Mourinho's back.

Half an hour before the Group B fixture, claims a dressing-room source, Terry told one of Mourinho's assistant coaches that he had 'things on my mind'. Only the intervention of a team-mate put him in the right state of mind to take part in the pre-match warm-up, for which Terry arrived late.

Midway through the first half Rosenborg scored, after Miika Koppinen beat Terry at a set piece. When Mourinho then directly criticised the centre back's defending at half time, Terry refused to accept responsibility for the goal or even to respond to his manager.

Earlier on Tuesday, Terry had been informed that Mourinho had gone to the club's medical department to ask whether there was any physical reason for the player's sub-standard performances in matches this season. Mourinho hoped to find an explanation for a significant decline in Terry's play following an operation to remove a disc from the defender's spine in December.

Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon was made aware of the dispute and, according to the dressing-room source, presented the information to an emergency board meeting on Wednesday as evidence that the manager had lost the trust of key players. The club subsequently asked Mourinho for his resignation, which he refused to tender, but ultimately settled on dismissal by 'mutual consent'. Later on Wednesday, Mourinho sent Terry a text message sarcastically thanking him for talking to the club's hierarchy.

On Friday, several first-team regulars apparently took their captain to task during a 50-minute team meeting called by Terry in the aftermath of Mourinho's dismissal. Ashley Cole, Didier Drogba and Florent Malouda are believed to have accused him of not doing enough to keep Mourinho at the club.

Terry is England's best-paid footballer after agreeing a five-year, £131,000-a-week contract this summer. In initial negotiations he had requested a 'limitless parity' clause to ensure he was the club's biggest earner for the duration of a proposed nine-year term. According to a Chelsea insider Terry also wanted - and was refused - a contractual option for him to manage the club at the end of his playing career.

As far-fetched as that request might be, Abramovich's actions in the aftermath of the Rosenborg draw were equally bizarre. In front of the entire Chelsea team, but while Mourinho was occupied with press conference duties, the Russian billionaire decided to hand out an impromptu tactics lesson to Michael Essien.

Employing striker Andriy Shevchenko as translator, he instructed midfielder Essien, player of the year last season, to hit passes wide rather than through central areas where the Norwegians had compressed play. Abramovich is expected to take an increasingly hands-on role in the team following the appointment of Grant to replace Mourinho and, according to several sources, will effectively select the side. In a press conference on Friday, Grant insisted he would not tolerate interference but declined to respond when asked who was the most important individual at Chelsea. 'Look, the owner gives the financial support,' Grant said. 'I'm not going to make remarks.'

The 52-year-old is already the subject of significant discontent among a first-team squad predominantly still loyal to Mourinho. Grant, though, is confident he will bring not only more silverware to Chelsea but a more attractive brand of football and said on Friday that he had no problems with the playing staff. 'There's a very good relationship with the players,' he said. 'I like their attitude, how they want to win all the time, even if the last result wasn't like that, but the relationship is good.'

Grant's first match comes at Old Trafford this afternoon, but he did not work yesterday for religious reasons. He must also wait for his Israeli coaching qualifications to be cleared by Uefa before he can be formally approved as a top-flight manager. Chelsea insist the process will be trouble-free.

Though Grant claimed that he had no 'plan to be the manager' until the appointment came about, he had begun requesting clearance from Uefa a fortnight ago.

According to Kenyon, the 'first-team coach' will be involved in all key areas of transfers and team building. He said: 'We are not embarking on the arbitrary buying of players and telling the coach to play them. Avram will be absolutely involved, responsible for picking the team and responsible for the results.'

Kenyon denied that Terry - who declined to comment last night - played any part in Mourinho's departure: 'There is absolutely nothing in stories that the dressing room has been lost. In particular there is no truth in any rumours that a bust-up with one or several of our players led to him leaving the club.'

Platini is slightly turning into a legend in his new role.

1656: FULL-TIME Portsmouth 7-4 Reading
And there was a missed penalty.

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Insane

Golazo Jose Manuel Rey (Ecuador - Venezuela 0-1) 45 metres