Avram Grant

[Tomo 21,751]

I know load of our fans hate him,but he brought us to the UCL final.We did have Steve Clarke too but surely Grant had a say considering he was the manager.When i remember 2008 we could have won the treble runner's up in UCl,the Premiership and Carling Cup if we did win all those people would think of him as a Legend.I like him but i also don't think he would suit the job well.

I want Zola really bad

Sad thing is we blew the chance of the quad that season and i know its a cliche but i honestly reckon we would have won the lot have if Jose stayed.

Carling Cup - Grant persisted with a off form Anelka instead off a in form Joe Cole, he lost us that match. With Jose we would have won the game and also picked Bridge over Cole and he cost us the pen.

FA Cup - United, Arsenal and Liverpool were all out, Pompey, West Brom and Cardiff were the teams left we beat Barnsley the FA Cup is in our hands, oppsssss.

Champions League - Ferdinand was limping and struggling but Grant still told Drogba to stick with Vidic who was beating him to every ball.

Premier League - Why take Essien off over Belleti when were 1-0 up with 5 minutes left? we conceded 5 stoppage time levellers that season under Grant, he has to take some responsibility for that, without those 5 we would have got 95 points, matching our 04/05 total.

Our team peaked in 07-08 and 08-09 and if we just fucking kept Jose and didnt piss about with Avram and Scolari the sky would have been the limit.

What ever way you look at it we were in a glorious position for all 4 trophies that season yet we ended up with none, Grant has to take some of the blame for that.

[J.F. 1,484]

Predrag Mijatovic !

edit:

GUUS HIDDINK: I WORK FOR CHELSEA

[BlueLion. 21,491]

The jury is still out on Grant

He's had two teams relegated in two years, and I personally believe the only reason for his success at Chelsea was the form of Lampard, Ballack, Cole and Drogba in the second half of the season, and the support of Steve Clark and Henk ten Cate.Yes, he got us to our first and only Champions League final and I will always respect that, but how much of it was his responsibility? He's even admitted to taking a back seat during training and letting his assistants take charge. His success was based on the form of a handful of players and the backing of two very capable tacticians and man-motivators in Clarke and ten Cate. Obviously as the manager he would have had some input, but I'll never be sure about him. I really do think our near-Treble that season was down to Clarke moreso than Grant, but either way, he's still part of this club's history.

History. Not the future. We can do far better.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

The jury is still out on Grant

He's had two teams relegated in two years, and I personally believe the only reason for his success at Chelsea was the form of Lampard, Ballack, Cole and Drogba in the second half of the season, and the support of Steve Clark and Henk ten Cate.Yes, he got us to our first and only Champions League final and I will always respect that, but how much of it was his responsibility? He's even admitted to taking a back seat during training and letting his assistants take charge. His success was based on the form of a handful of players and the backing of two very capable tacticians and man-motivators in Clarke and ten Cate. Obviously as the manager he would have had some input, but I'll never be sure about him. I really do think our near-Treble that season was down to Clarke moreso than Grant, but either way, he's still part of this club's history.

History. Not the future. We can do far better.

And considering the squad of West Ham, any decent manager could've secured survival.

Parker, Nouble, Ba, Obinnah, Cole ect. They're by no means bad players, They could've finished well beyond relegation.

[zolayes 14,489]

Sad thing is we blew the chance of the quad that season and i know its a cliche but i honestly reckon we would have won the lot have if Jose stayed.

Carling Cup - Grant persisted with a off form Anelka instead off a in form Joe Cole, he lost us that match. With Jose we would have won the game and also picked Bridge over Cole and he cost us the pen.

FA Cup - United, Arsenal and Liverpool were all out, Pompey, West Brom and Cardiff were the teams left we beat Barnsley the FA Cup is in our hands, oppsssss.

Champions League - Ferdinand was limping and struggling but Grant still told Drogba to stick with Vidic who was beating him to every ball.

Premier League - Why take Essien off over Belleti when were 1-0 up with 5 minutes left? we conceded 5 stoppage time levellers that season under Grant, he has to take some responsibility for that, without those 5 we would have got 95 points, matching our 04/05 total.

Our team peaked in 07-08 and 08-09 and if we just fucking kept Jose and didnt piss about with Avram and Scolari the sky would have been the limit.

What ever way you look at it we were in a glorious position for all 4 trophies that season yet we ended up with none, Grant has to take some of the blame for that.

in the final if he had brought sheve on instead of Anelka ...he would have been a penalty taker instead of JT...my bet ..we would have won

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Absolutely.

I'm still shocked West Ham have done down, after the signings they made in the summer I expected them to finish mid-table, quite comfortably as well. Shows one of two things - either this league is becoming more and more unpredictable, or Grant is a shite manager.

[Ollie 4,400]

Avram Grants 2008 silver medal specialists, who incidentally got knocked out of the FA Cup against Barnsley in the quarter final, would've been Jose's gold medalists if he stayed. He just took on what Jose left off but managed them slightly worse. We were on for history that season but 2008 will remain the most gutting season of my life supporting the Chels. And in the CC Final we lost it to Tottenham! and tbh we were battered throughout the whole game. We woulda won the lot if he kept Jose, i believe that.

If Grant goes up stairs, good luck to him as long as he dont ever go back on the touchline for us. Hide him away

[Tomo 21,751]

Absolutely.

I'm still shocked West Ham have done down, after the signings they made in the summer I expected them to finish mid-table, quite comfortably as well. Shows one of two things - either this league is becoming more and more unpredictable, or Grant is a shite manager.

I've just been thinking, if Avram gets 2 teams who should be mid table relegated after getting us to the CL final and within 2 points off the league that must mean Sam Allardyce's (who has finished in the top half with weaker teams than the one's Avram have got relegated) claim that he would win the double at a top club everytime aint as far fetched as people make out??

[LDN Blue 7,903]

Sad thing is we blew the chance of the quad that season and i know its a cliche but i honestly reckon we would have won the lot have if Jose stayed.

Carling Cup - Grant persisted with a off form Anelka instead off a in form Joe Cole, he lost us that match. With Jose we would have won the game and also picked Bridge over Cole and he cost us the pen.

FA Cup - United, Arsenal and Liverpool were all out, Pompey, West Brom and Cardiff were the teams left we beat Barnsley the FA Cup is in our hands, oppsssss.

Champions League - Ferdinand was limping and struggling but Grant still told Drogba to stick with Vidic who was beating him to every ball.

Premier League - Why take Essien off over Belleti when were 1-0 up with 5 minutes left? we conceded 5 stoppage time levellers that season under Grant, he has to take some responsibility for that, without those 5 we would have got 95 points, matching our 04/05 total.

Our team peaked in 07-08 and 08-09 and if we just fucking kept Jose and didnt piss about with Avram and Scolari the sky would have been the limit.

What ever way you look at it we were in a glorious position for all 4 trophies that season yet we ended up with none, Grant has to take some of the blame for that.

This is unfair.

We can also do this for Ancelotti this season. Yet we'd get called plastic

[Tomo 21,751]

This is unfair.

We can also do this for Ancelotti this season. Yet we'd get called plastic

No way were we in that good a position this season than we were then, plus the team IMO was at their peak under Avram and it aint this season.

[warnie_666 1,081]

thanks I had an Andy f********g Gray moment

Thats ok.....I was merely talking about his cheer leading skills. Like This

And

[Henrique 9,133]

Avran Grant should never have left. Roman is an idiot !!!

[Guest justin_3d]

Avran Grant should never have left. Roman is an idiot !!!

Well he did bought Anelka and Ivan. And those have been really great buys.

Especially Ivan.

So i do have to agree, he does knows what to look for.

[neel 257]

Well he did bought Anelka and Ivan. And those have been really great buys.

but he never played them . Remember both of them slammed him early this season ?

[Guest justin_3d]

but he never played them . Remember both of them slammed him early this season ?

Yeah that's true....

But i am just staying, that as far as technical director, is not bad, but coach he has been awful.

[ChelseaChick 430]

I actually love Avram Grant!

[termninja 5,290]

Well he did bought Anelka and Ivan. And those have been really great buys.

Especially Ivan.

So i do have to agree, he does knows what to look for.

I heard somewhere Hidink was the one who advised us to buy Ivanovic though.

[Guest justin_3d]

I heard somewhere Hidink was the one who advised us to buy Ivanovic though.

Interesting.

[Fulham Broadway 17,363]

Wherever the blob goes next it'll be the kiss of death for that team, and it'll be a jewish board/owner again. Nailed on fact.

[Vesper 30,298]

Harry Redknapp: Chelsea's Roman Abramovich forced Portsmouth's owners to employ Avram Grant. And I got a player out of it

https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/sport/football/portsmouth-fc/harry-redknapp-chelseas-roman-abramovich-forced-portsmouths-owners-to-employ-avram-grant-and-i-got-a-player-out-of-it-4765571

Harry Redknapp has revealed how Roman Abramovich told Pompey to give a job to Avram Grant.

And he almost quit as Blues boss in protest over the unwanted interference by the then-Chelsea owner in June 2006.

After overseeing Pompey’s remarkable Great Escape in 2005-06 to remain in the Premier League, Redknapp was summoned to Israel for a meeting with chairman Sacha Gaydamak.

According to the 2008 FA Cup-winning boss in new book Played Up Pompey Four, he was informed that Abramovich, an associate of Gaydamak, had requested the Blues employed his friend Grant.

Grant was out of work after spending four years as Israel boss and Redknapp claims Pompey were offered Glen Johnson on loan to sweeten the arrangement.

‘My relationship with Sacha Gaydamak over time didn’t improve. I never got to know him, he was a distant figure - and I missed Milan Mandaric. Milan was a big draw for me coming back. I loved his company, and the times we had were just incredible, Redknapp told Played Up Pompey Four.

‘After keeping Pompey in the Premier League, I travelled to Israel for a meeting with Gaydamak over dinner. He said: “Mr Redknapp, what do you think about bringing in a coach who understands tactics in football?”.

‘I replied “What do you think me, Joe Jordan and Tony Adams do?”. He responded: “Yes, but this man is very clever. He understands the diamond formation”. I said: “The diamond formation, very good. I saw an under-10s team playing like that over the park on Sunday and it was very good. It’s a good formation.”

‘When I asked who this man was, I was told Avram Grant. Well, Gaydamak was informed I didn’t want him. I didn’t need anybody else.

‘So I left this meeting, I’d only just arrived in Israel, and I was ready to go home - and I was ready to quit Pompey. Then a very close friend of mine called. I explained what was going on and he told me: “Harry, if he’s going to bring in Grant, why would you walk out? You’ve done a miracle and kept Pompey up; you shouldn’t leave over this”.

‘The next day I had another meeting with Gaydamak, who said: “Listen, if we take Avram Grant, we can take one, maybe two players on loan from Chelsea. Would you like Glen Johnson?”. Of course I would.

‘The owner continued: “Mr Abramovich will let us have Johnson if you give Avram Grant a job”. Now how does that work? The owner of Chelsea is telling Pompey who to employ. Incredible isn’t it.

‘I replied: “So why doesn’t Mr Abramovich give Avram a job?”. Gaydamak responded: “He wants him to come to England to work at Portsmouth”. It was basically give Avram a job, and we get a player like Glen Johnson on a loan for nothing. Yes, I’ve changed my mind!

‘Gaydamak added: “Even if he sits on the PlayStation all day, you can do what you want with Avram”. The owner himself was something to do with Abramovich, through business or whatever, and just wanted to please him.

‘I loved Avram, I enjoyed having him there, he was no threat to me. He was there as support. We would chat away’ he wasn’t taking training sessions or anything.’

Grant was given the title of technical director by Gaydamak in June 2006 and, shortly afterwards, Johnson arrived on a season-long loan from Chelsea.

The former Maccabi Haifa boss spent a season at Fratton Park before being appointed Chelsea’s director of football in July 2007 and then, following Jose Mourinho’s departure two months later, manager.

He returned to Fratton Park as director of football in October 2009 after Ali Al Faraj took over as owner, before taking over from Paul Hart as manager the following month.

Grant would subsequently lead the Blues to the 2010 FA Cup final against Chelsea, although could not prevent relegation from the Premier League, and quit at the season’s end to become West Ham boss.

Redknapp added: ‘Glen Johnson signed on a season-long loan in June 2006 and, from that point, we built a team with incredible players.

‘Sol Campbell had a fall-out at Arsenal and didn’t have a club, so I rang to see what the situation was and was told: “I’ve had enough of football”. He agreed to hear what I had to say and we met at a coffee shop near where he lived in London, sitting outside chatting.

‘We did the deal, and he earned a third of what he had at Arsenal. Sol wasn’t happy at the Emirates, he just wanted to play.’

Edited September 2, 2024 by Vesper