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Grant's is not the only head that should roll at Chelsea
Evening Standard 28 May 2008
The comedy is over. Avram Grant, the over-promoted, under-qualified schmoozer, who should never have been within a million miles of the Chelsea managership, is back in Israel licking his wounds. A famous saying of my old political mentor Willie Whitelaw springs to mind: "You shouldn't gloat, it's wrong to gloat, sinful to gloat ... but I'm gloating like mad!"
And so am I, Willie. Because I have never wavered in my conviction from the first moment I heard of this ridiculous appointment, the footballing equivalent of Caligula making his horse a consul, that no good would come of it.
But now it's time for all of us to move on and in particular, for more people than Grant to move on out of Chelsea.
What about Peter Kenyon and Bruce Buck? Both of them must have known appointing Grant was a grotesque folly. So why did neither of them say so publicly?
Why did both of them praise the appointment in fulsome terms and, in the case of Buck, even suggest it was disloyal to the club to criticise Grant?
Grant's appointment was down to Roman Abramovich, who, as Tony Banks once famously said, bought a team not a club. So he feels under no obligation to consult the fans, or explain his erratic decisions to them. Instead he employs Kenyon and Buck to do so, but, as our fans' survey showed yesterday, neither has any credibility left. Their slump in the ratings is as disastrous as Gordon Brown's.
And if either has a modicum of self-respect, they'll resign, and suggest to Abramovich he appoints in their stead men with the guts to stand up to the oligarch when appropriate. Kenyon should go merely for the crass stupidity of giving Grant a four-year contract at £3.5million a year, when there was no need to. This means the club have to pay at least £7m to this third rater for nine months of fiddling around. And all this arranged by a man who keeps telling us Chelsea, having lost £75m last year, and burdened with about £600m in outstanding loans from Abramovich, are on course to break even. Really?
Now, the same flexible friends who gave us Grant are going to make another appointment. In a sane world the choice would be restricted to two names - Mark Hughes, who has a Chelsea history, and a good record as a tough-minded manager, making bricks without straw at Wales and Blackburn, and, of course, Jose Mourinho.
Mourinho should never have been displaced, and reappointing him would be a fitting public recognition by Abramovich that he has seen the error of his ways. Doing that would allow fans' confidence in his regime to be rebuilt.
But I'm not holding my breath.
Why it will be hell for Hull in the top flight
Dean Windass scores a Wembley goal at the age of 39 to put Hull into the Premier League. Great, and not so great. Good for him of course, but the idea of Windass turning out in the top flight next season at 40 is a joke.
As perhaps is the thought of Hull staying up barring a miracle; on an honest view they'll be lucky to get as many points as Derby did. Once you cut through the inevitable sentimentality about a small club's triumph, the truth is the Premier League as an internationally credible competition is damaged by such promotions. If the Championship can't throw up more credible candidates than Hull, then perhaps we should go back to two-up two-down again.
Tears of joy for Captain Courageous
Great news that John Terry has been reinstated as England captain for tonight's otherwise futile friendly. It's a deserved morale booster for Terry as he seeks to come to terms with his missed penalty that cost Chelsea the Champions League.
Terry has come in for stick over his tears. Some say he shouldn't have volunteered to take the penalty, others claim he should have shown more of a stiff upper lip after his slip. Both criticisms are rubbish. It's a captain's job to step up to the plate, which he had to do after the idiot Didier Drogba got himself sent off.
As for breaking down, why shouldn't he as he watched one of his life's ambitions gurgle down the plughole.
Terry may sometimes let himself down off the pitch, but on it he is Captain Courageous. It's distressing for such a man to think he let down the fans who idolise him. Even those who aren't Chelsea fans should respect the man's total commitment to every cause he serves and give him a rousing cheer tonight.
Don't blame Pietersen for speaking out
• Kevin Pietersen wants his £1million for playing in the Indian Premier League next season, and it's pure cant to denounce him as a mercenary for speaking out.
Like most athletes, he's got a short career, and this is perhaps his only chance to make that kind of money.
The England Cricket Board are daft to stand in the way of top England players competing in the IPL. It proves their invention of Twenty20 is indeed a serious money-spinner for a game that otherwise looks in serious, and maybe terminal, decline.
Lap up Lewis while we can
Lewis Hamilton spent most of last season being written up, and a lot of this one being written off.
But after his victory in rain-swept Monaco on Sunday, which required driving skills of the highest order, why don't we just accept that here is an outstanding talent, and not lay into him as if he isn't the real deal the next time he has a bad race, like the one in Bahrain?
If McLaren's technology is as good as Hamilton's driving, he'll win the drivers' championship this year - but it's a pretty big if.
Meanwhile, there are people trying to persuade Hamilton to take on a professional agent rather than dad Anthony.
Since to call many sports agents professional is a clear breach of the Trade Descriptions Act, I for one am glad Anthony is determined to carry on.
Reader views (12)
We in hull knew we'd struggle.
- Ian Smith, hull, 06/02/2009 13:24
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Spoken like a true Tory let the rich grow ever richer and damn the temerity of a smaller club earning a rightful piece of the pie. Hull's achievement is something Mr Mellor could never understand or appreciate sat watching overpaid louts harassing ref's and falling over if someone so much as looks at them. Dean Windass will bring more dignity to the premier league then Cole Drogba ect ever could and he will play with a smile on his face.
- Mark Downing, hull east yorkshire, 11/06/2008 00:05
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Mr Mellor, you really are a nasty arrogant little man. Yes the Tigers probably will struggle next season, but that isn't the point, it's all about dreams. I have waited all my life to see Hull City in the Premier League and even if we go straight down, nothing can take that away from us. Your views only show just how ignorant you are of the feelings of true fans - which is why you were part of a government that did all it could to destroy the game with ID cards. You show the typical Tory stupidity and ignorance of the North. In Hull we all really really hope to see you at the KC next season to give you the warm welcome you so truely deserve.
- Paul Giblin, Madrid, Spain, 10/06/2008 22:21
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I cannot believe the reaction to Terry missing a penalty. Mellor talks of his courage and Gordon Brown sends him a letter and hope he gets over this disaster. For god's sake he missed a penalty in a football match. The same week there was a Royal Marine who had lost 2 legs and and arm in Iraq, but had managed to walk on artificial legs to receive his medal. No letter from Brown to him or talk of his courage. Terry is an overrated overpaid footballer, the Royal Marine is the hero.
- T Mines, Hertford, Hertfordshire, 02/06/2008 18:17
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Those comments about Hull City are the product of a narrow mind that thinks our game is about nothing more than big clubs spending big cash for household name players, whilst no-one else should even dare get in their way. It isn't Mellor, it's about the football that goes on on the pitch, on a level playing field where everyone has the same chance of success, and Hull City have made it through grit and determination, so who are you to mock our achievement?
- Danny Norton, Hull, East Yorkshire, 02/06/2008 12:28
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I would just like to point out that David Mellor does not speak for Chelsea football club, nor does he speak any sense at all. We at Chelsea are all aware that Hull City are a far better supported and genuine club and we are very nervous that they could take 6 points of us next season.
- Roman Abramovich, Chelsea, 30/05/2008 14:09
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Fao David Mellor
Chelsea have always been a smaller club. Take away the club's money and what do you have? A small, poorly supported football club.
Hull City will bring something special to the Premier League: Passion and belief. We are true football fans who don't follow the 'glory' but support our team through the good and bad.
- Terry Dolan, Hull City, 30/05/2008 12:34
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Where does David Mellor get off saying that the Premiership should be reduced to two up two down? He'd do well to remember that Chelsea were struggling financially when Roman came in, and if it wasn't for the Russians cash Chelsea could well be struggling in a league lower than the Championship, look at Leeds. Perhaps that's why he's suggesting it, to give Chelsea a chance of survival when Roman finally decides he's bored of the blues. Mellor needs to remember that there is more to football than the fat cats of the Premiership and that Hull will bring something to the division that the prawn sandwich munchers of Stamford Bridge, Old Trafford et al will be envious of - proper fans with proper passion. If Mellor had his way there'd only be 4 teams in the whole of the English league, the so called BIG four. Football needs the smaller teams just as much as the big sides. Get a life, the next time you say something that the majority of fans want to hear will be the first.
- Paul 'Palace Fan' Moseley, Bristol, England, 29/05/2008 02:52
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The Premier League is not a closed shop. Hull are there by right, winning promotion through the play-offs with a mixture of skill fight and tenacity. Even if, as David nostalgically suggests the play-offs didn't exist, Hull City would still be promoted by dint of finishing third in the Championship.
Mr Mellor should realise that the influx of new clubs stops the top flight becoming moribund, and keeps football in touch with it's roots. The elevation of new teams to the top division should be celebrated, not scorned before a ball is kicked.
Finally, Hull City are not as David states "a small club". Their average attendance last season outstripped Watford, Palace, and QPR. Next season I'm sure the crowds at the KC Stadium will surpass that Wigan, Portsmouth, and of Fulham - the team that David supported before he switched his allegiance.
- Mark, London, 28/05/2008 21:18
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I was never a great fan of David Mellor as a politician but for several months I have found myself more and more in agreement with most of what he says, particularly about football. When the conservatives win the next election,I hope David Mellor becomes minister for sport and culture:he also presents a good programme on Classic FM on Sundays.
- Alan Routs, teddington,england, 28/05/2008 19:08
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I am pretty sure that I remember Mellor being pretty unimpressed with Mourinho towards the end of his tenure. Grant was a stupid appointment and it is very easy to dislike Kenyon. My problem is that David gives the impression that he speaks as a Chelsea fan. Real Chelsea fans hated an imposter like Grant being employed by the club. We are just as disgusted that an imposter like Mellor keeps pretending to have an attachment to the club. Please ask Mellor to change his pyjamas to Arsenal or back to Fulham.
- Benb, London. England, 28/05/2008 18:53
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David Mellors comments are typical and further proof of someone ignorant of the subject he writes about. Hull City have reached the Premiership through a dedicated, passionate, knowledgeable and experience management team supported by an able and passionate Board and Chairman. They have brought in a great worth ethic and instilled belief into the club. Something David Mellor simply could not understand. So come on big mouth, put your money where your mouth is! If you think Hull City will be relegated and reach less points than Derby how about a spreadbet of £100 per point?
- Pete Bottomley, South Woodham Ferrers Essex, 28/05/2008 18:19
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