Chelsea technical director Michael Emenalo has confirmed the decision to axe Jose Mourinho was “a very tough decision for the good of the club” and insisted that “palpable discord” had developed between the Portuguese manager and his underperforming team.
The statement released on the club’s website yesterday said the Premier League champions axed Mourinho for the second time “by mutual consent” after emergency board meetings led by club owner Roman Abramovich.
A shock defeat to Leicester on Monday night left Chelsea 16th in the Premier League table, just a single point above the relegation zone, with the Portuguese tactician accusing his boys of betraying him on the field and saying that the team overachieved in winning the league title last term.
The harsh decision comes only five months into the new 4 year deal Mourinho penned in August and Emenalo now reveals the decision was not taken lightly by Abramovich and his fellow board members.
“That contract clearly signifies that what happened today was not a premeditated decision,” Emenalo clarified when giving an interview in Chelsea TV. “It was a decision taken to protect the interests of the club. Whilst there is huge sentiment for the individual who has done so much for the club, the fact of the matter remains that Chelsea Football Club is in trouble.
“The results are not good. There obviously seems to be a palpable discord between manager and players and we felt it was time to act.
“The owner has been forced to make what was a very tough decision for the good of the club. Make no mistake about it: Chelsea Football Club, one of the biggest in the world, is one point above relegation in the English Premier League. That’s not good enough.
“Anybody or any fan or even those who have any affiliation to the club can understand that this club is in trouble, and something needed to be done.”
Jose Mourinho’s enduring hero status at Stamford Bridge suggests the Chelsea squad could face a rough reception when they play against Sunderland on Saturday, but club’s technical director Emenalo is adamant that there is no such reason to doubt the commitment within the team.
“The same people need to remember that this is essentially the same group of players who won the league and the League Cup last season,” he further said. “They did it in style and they did it by showing commitment, sweating tears and blood for the club when needed. They played to instruction; they adhered to everything the manager asked them to do.
“It’s very easy to make that kind of inference [that players were responsible for Mourinho’s sacking] but it’s not one the club accepts.
“Obviously we know now that the players have a responsibility to go out and prove everybody wrong, and show a certain level of commitment to the decision that has been made tonight, and to try to get the club up the league table. That’s what they have to do, that’s what they were supposed to do and I believe that’s what they’ve been trying to do.”
Chelsea will certainly appoint an interim manager until the end of this term before going for a permanent successor to Special One next summer. Guus Hiddink is understood to be a highly possible candidate at Stamford Bridge for a second interrim stint, but Emenalo confirms there will be no new man in the dugout in time for Saturday’s league clash.
“You’re not a big club if you don’t have contingency plans for situations like this,” he continued. “We’re a big club that has quality coaches embedded within the club, and I think we will be OK for Saturday. We will have competent people come up and help with preparation for the game.
“And make no mistake about it: The club is working vigorously and actively to make sure that the situation with regards to a managerial appointment is taken care of as soon as possible.”