Chelsea is a sinking ship right now, and Jose Mourinho is the captain who should likely go down with it. However, The Special One seems to be taking down the players along with him. Yesterday, following the loss to Leicester City, Mourinho claimed that the players have turned on him. Therefore, he turned on them, saying he felt betrayed and that they are not living up to the work that he has done.
(UPDATE: Five most likely candidates to replace Mourinho, according to the bookies)
Asked if he was 100 percent convinced he would still be in charge for the Sunderland game, Mourinho replied:
“The only thing I can say is that I want to be.”
“I have no doubts and I think you know me well enough, three years this time, plus three years another time, that I am not afraid of a big challenge, and in this moment this is a real big challenge. I want to stay, I hope Mr Abramovich and the board want me to stay.”
So indeed the sack watch narrative, as we’ve seen for much of this season, is now back in full effect. There’s plenty of reason to believe that the next loss could be the game that ends Mourinho’s second stint as Chelsea Manager.
What are the odds that it actually happens? Well, the odds this week have been slashed all across the board.
Take a look at odds checker, “who is the next Premier League Manager to be sacked?” category.
Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal was the favorite on Sunday, but he’s now been supplanted by Chelsea’s Jose Mourinho.
Bet Victor and Coral have the odds and 10/11, while 888 Sport and Unibet lines up at 13/18.
Skybet, Ladbrokes and 32 Red place Mourinho at 4-6. Again, the handicappers now see his sacking now as much more likely than Van Gaal. There’s just been so much stress and strife at Stamford Bridge this season. It’s a complete 180 from last year, when the club won the league by a very wide margin and established that dominance very early in the season.
This season, by contrast, Mourinho is taking proverbial hits from all sides- fans, pundits, Diego Costa throwing his bib at him, a disgruntled ex-player with an agenda calling him “fake” and “finished.”
There’s been a ton of tumult.
Paul M. Banks owns, operates and sometimes writes The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. The website is also featured on News Now.
Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, currently contributes to the Chicago Tribune RedEye. He also appears regularly on numerous television and radio talk shows all across the country. Catch him Tuesdays on KOZN 1620 The Zone.