Opinion: Sacked Avram Grant is only winner at Chelsea

And so Avram Grant's transformation into Jose Mourinho is now complete: he too has now fallen foul of Chelsea's brutal benefactor Roman Abramovich and his remorseless ruthless streak.

The Israeli was relieved of his managerial duties at the weekend after a tumultuous eight months in charge, during which he came a hair's breadth from achieving the level of success that his paymaster craves.

If either Didier Drogba or Frank Lampard had found the back of the net rather than the post during Chelsea's cracking comeback during the Champions League final in Moscow, Grant would be the toast of Europe.

And had Emile Heskey displayed his usual troglodyte-like touch in front of goal at Stamford Bridge last month, the Blues could have been basking in the adulation afforded Sir Alex's Double-winning side.

Let us not also forget that Grant also took his team to the League Cup final (although, for the benefit of this argument, we will have to feign amnesia when it comes to the tactics he employed upon reaching Wembley).

Almost any other team in England - bar Manchester United, of course - would have ransomed their star striker for such a season. Just ask Arsene Wenger. Or Rafa Benitez. At the very least, their manager would have been given the chance to build on such near success next season. And yet this morning Avram Grant is instead contemplating his next move while awaiting the arrival of his P45.

The chief crimes on Grant's rap sheet were seemingly the lack of respect he commanded in the dressing room, and the lack of charisma he exhibited when dealing with the media. Relatively serious charges for a prominent manager, admittedly, but what chance did Grant realistically stand given the man that he replaced?

As Gordon Brown will no doubt sympathise - presumably a letter is in the post, now that John Terry's has been dispensed with - some acts are just too hard to follow. Even Tony Blair in his 1997 prime would have struggled to shine in the Special One's shadow.

All of which should be setting alarm bells ringing in the heads of Phil Scolari, Frank Rijkaard, Mark Hughes, Roberto Mancini and anyone else linked with this most poisoned of chalices.

Yes the potential for greatness - not to mention financial reward - is tangible, but Grant's ignominious end has shown that the standards expected are exacting to say the least. At Chelsea, even a close personally relationship with the boss counts for nothing, which perhaps explains why Guus Hiddink, the Russian national coach whose wages are already footed by Abramovich, has been so quick to disassociate himself from the position.

Still, at least Avram Grant can take solace in the fact that he has emerged from his season of hell at the Bridge with his pride intact. By refusing to subserviently sidle off upstairs and resume his role as Director of Football, the Israeli has conducted himself in a classy and dignified manner - adjectives all too rarely used in conjunction with Chelsea staff.

Let's hope his eventual replacement will be able to say the same thing.

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