Jose Mourinho’s future as Chelsea coach is in suspense over his failure to lift the team out of their alarming slump, according to British media reports yesterday.
The Daily Mail said that the Chelsea board was due to meet to discuss Mourinho’s position on yesterday, while the Daily Telegraph said the club’s hierarchy was drawing up a list of potential replacements.
English Premier League champions last season, Chelsea are currently just a point above the relegation zone after losing nine of their 16 matches to date.
However, they have reached the UEFA Champions League last 16.
Reports suggest it would cost Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich between ￡10 million and ￡40 million (US$15 million and US$60 million) to sack Mourinho for a second time, having previously dismissed the Portuguese in 2007.
Mourinho signed a new four-year contract in August. Chelsea gave him a public vote of confidence in October, but there has been no official communication from the club on his position since then.
Mourinho, whose side host Sunderland in the league on Saturday, was expected to take training as usual at the club’s training ground in Cobham, England, yesterday.
Several newspapers, including The Sun, reported that Chelsea’s players were angered by Mourinho’s claim that they had “betrayed” his work following Monday’s 2-1 defeat at league leaders Leicester City.
