bye bye Jose....

Shocked by the news that Jose Mourinho has left Chelsea, but not overly disapointed.... even if by saying that it does make me some sort of heratic. So let me explain my stance.....

When Jose arrived all anyone at the Bridge wanted was to win. It didn't matter how, so long as we won the league. We could have won all our games playing 10 men behind the ball and scoring the winner in the 3rd minute of injury time. It genuinely didn't matter. We had had years of playing 'sexy football' but only winning the odd cup. So end of year one and we had another cup, but more importantly, we also had our first league title in 50 years. We had also played some OK football too, so everyone was happy.

We then walked away with the league again the following year, but by now were - with a few notable exceptions - were starting to play some hidious looking football. But hey, we won the league by stuffing Man United at home (I was there and loved it). But in the pub afterwards, what were we doing? Like Jose we were moaning. we were moaning that we wanted to be entertained. You see, in the grander scheme of things, we had proportionatly invested as much in Chelsea as Abramovich and therefore wanted to be, no, NEEDED to be entertained for our £42 match ticket.

Then we get last season. We only win the worst cup final in living memory. We are miles away in the league and are playing the most disgusting brand of football. It was sooooo horrible to watch. We could have lived with losing the league if we had at least been enjoyable to watch. But I am not sure, that with the exception of those new breed Chelsea fans (you know the ones, the ones that have helped achieve the impossible by making us even more hated that Man United), that even winning the league would have been worth it. Now, had that compact, no flair, grind 'em down, use the Drog as a battering ram style had won us the Champions League, then OK, it could have been worth it. But even then.....

Football is a passion, it is a cultural touch stone so ingrained that the Americans, for all their 'Soccertainment' and buying into Brand Beckham will never understand, but it is also entertainment. We do go to games because we love our club, but we also go because we want to and we enjoy it. When Gullit or the dearly loved Vialli were in charge we knew we would never win the league, and we knew that just as we could stick a hatful passed Man United or Liverpool, we were just as likely to get turned over by Charlton or Middlesborough. But we loved it anyway. it was fun. It was the game being played with a smile and was the reason you loved the game as a kid. Of course we hankered for the chance to win meaningful titles, just like every club would, but those magical moments such as beating Barca 3-1 at home, Zola's winner in the CWC Final or the 2-0 FA Cup win against 'Boro, were the ones we loved and wanted to savour. But under Jose they became the expected. Sure, the Champions League epic against Barcelona was added to the list of special moments in Chelsea's history, but it was one of the few times we showed heart and, most crucially, charm.

Jose had charisma and on a personal level had real charm, but the football he created lacked both these qualities. Barcelona won the Champions League playing with a swagger. We tried to do it, but our swagger came out wrong and became arogance and gracelessness. The line is fine, but we still missed it.

Would I trade another 50 years of not winning anything but the odd cup in return for playing the beautiful game? Too right. Just as I would trade England's World Cup win in 66 for Holland's heritage of 2 World Cup final defeats.

Sure, over the next 10 years under Jose we would have won the Champions League and at least another 5 league titles, but at what cost? Permanently taking Man United's crown of England's most hated club? Paying £40 or £50 to go a game knowing as you leave Fulham Broadway station that you are not going to enjoy the game? Having to constantly defend Jose's unwavering gracelessness? Having to watch more games with a 5 man midfield with no wingers and only Frank Lampard with any attacking intentions. Makelele, Essien, Mikel... all great players, but are they the players you love to watch?

Roman may not have bought Chelsea the right to win everything, but has bought them the right to be the most entertaining team in the world. Roman saved Chelsea - fact. If he hadn't come along then we would have done a Leeds - fact. We could have bought in Jose and we would still have imploded, but without Roman there would be nothing. So for all the nonsense about "no one is bigger than the club", I think you will find that Roman Abramovich is. So if he employs someone to do a job, then he has every right to fire them when they don't do.

Just think, during the transfer window we knew at least one of the 'names' was going to make way. So, did he get rid of the hard-working, but struggling and unloved Shevchenko? Did he ditch the waste of space and wages that is Michael Ballack? Or did he ditch Robben, Chelsea's most special and entertaining player since Gianfranco Zola?

So yes, we do all owe Jose a big thank you and when he eventually comes back to the Bridge as an opposing manager, we will give him a massive ovation. But now that he has gone, lets move on and start enjoying our football again.