Countdown to crisis

Four men who could have been quietly planning their next bank job while enjoying a spot of lunch.

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A deadly, although actually rather charming, bodyguard. Phones rang and phone calls were made, most of them by Jose Mourinho but always in the company of colleagues who listened to every word.

Perhaps they would reveal details of their first serious offer. Perhaps they would confirm the size of their pay-offs from Chelsea.

When they eventually spoke to the small gathering of journalists who had heard they were there, they were polite and friendly.

Mourinho laughed, his fitness coach Rui Faria smiled and hands were shaken as they prepared to head, for what would be the last time, to Stamford Bridge.

Behind the brave facade, however, the mood remained solemn. There was a sense of shock as well as a sense of loss.

It was Thursday, after all, and they should have been making plans for Sunday's encounter with Manchester United rather than preparing for a future without the players they had guided to two Premier League titles and three domestic cups.

How had it come to this? "It's staggering," said their one-man security force. Like everyone, Brian had no doubt seen it coming.

But, like everyone, he never believed Chelsea would be crazy enough to force out the finest young manager in Europe and replace him with a 52-year-old former Portsmouth coach who has only enjoyed success in the Israel league.

"In Avram Grant we have an experienced man who can help us achieve our objectives," said the club yesterday but no one, least of all Chelsea's players, was convinced.

When Peter Kenyon said those objectives included winning the Champions League twice in the next six years, Chelsea's chief executive must have done so in the belief that Mourinho would be manager.

That he had negotiated a truce between Mourinho and Roman Abramovich and safeguarded the future of the club.

That, however, was before Tuesday's 1-1 draw against Rosenborg and the series of meetings that followed the next day.

Before Mourinho was once again reminded how his team should be playing. Before directors who know nothing about football dared tell him how to do his job.

As owner and major investor, Abramovich clearly felt he had every right to bring in players like Andriy Shevchenko and Michael Ballack, make his own additions to the coaching staff and demand a more entertaining brand of football.

But it was because of that, because of his decision to recruit Shevchenko, in particular, and then Grant, that the relationship, in the words of the Chelsea statement, "broke down".

Abramovich idolised Shevchenko and, after spending £30million to bring him to Stamford Bridge, he blamed Mourinho for the Ukrainian striker's failure to make an impact.

Abramovich responded midway through last season by announcing his intention to bring in Grant, which was also met by Mourinho with fierce opposition.

It amounted to an almighty clash of egos, almost resulted in Mourinho's instant resignation and ended with Abramovich refusing even to attend matches.

Chelsea looked for a replacement and Mourinho looked for another job, but when both failed in their search they decided to remain together.

By the time they got to Los Angeles for their pre-season tour, Mourinho had grudgingly accepted Grant as director of football and agreed to play a more expansive game.

Wingers would once again be used. But he accepted those terms on one condition. That the interfering stopped.

It did, but not for long. When a poor performance in a 1-0 win over Portsmouth was followed by a 2-0 defeat at Aston Villa and a goalless draw with Blackburn, Abramovich and his boardroom colleagues again became restless.

Abramovich marched out of the directors' box when Aston Villa scored their second goal. "Read nothing into it," insisted Chelsea, but again no one was fooled.

At the same time, the tension mounted between Mourinho and Shevchenko and showed no signs of easing even when he scored against Rosenborg on Tuesday.

Nothing was said but the body language said it all. Much, however, was said the next day. "I'm going to quit tomorrow," Mourinho told certain players in a text message he sent at around 6pm and by 10pm he discovered his employers were only too happy to let him go.

Was he pushed or did he jump? "Ultimately he was sacked," insisted one Chelsea insider and the players seemed to agree.

Mourinho said goodbye to those players yesterday morning and they all received a hug. Well, all but two of them anyway.