English Premier League Champions Chelsea FC has already started making plans for the possible departure of Club Manager Jose Mourinho following Saturday 2-1 loss at London rival West Ham FC.
Chelsea FC, which in the past was also the long-standing home of Major League Soccer stars NYCFC’s Frank Lampard and Montreal Impact’s Dider Drogba, won the English Premier League Championships last season, but has fallen on hard times this season.
The club that plays in London’s Stamford Bridge is now ranked 15th in the EPL with 10 points (3-5-2). Mourinho, who was the manager of Porto, Inter Milan and Real Madrid among other clubs, was also the previous manager of Chelsea FC between 2004 and 2007.
It has been rumoured that Mourinho’s position is now being reviewed by the Stamford Bridge board. His severance package has been discussed by the club directors, as Mourinho just signed a new four-year contract worth £30 million ($46 million) in August. Chelsea is reluctant to pay the entire sum in case the contract is terminated early.
Although successors have not been named, Chelsea FC has already been contacted by representatives of several key figures in European soccer that are showing interest in the job.
It has been said that Italian Carlo Ancelotti, who also managed Chelsea in his past (from 2009 to 2011) is interested in returning to Stamford Bridge.
Bayern Munich’s Pep Guardiola and Atletico Madrid’s Diego Simeone were also mentioned, both will be available this summer.
It is possible that Jose Mourhino will be given this week to save his job, with the Capital One Cup faceoff tomorrow (Tuesday) at English Premier side Stoke City, and an EPL game at Liverpool FC on Saturday. Still, a decision can be made even sooner.
It seems likely however, that a defeat on Saturday to Liverpool and their newly-appointed boss German Jurgen Klopps will spell the end of Mourhino’s second spell in English Soccer.
