BILLY BUNTER

Weblog: The football punter

Why I'm backing Jose for a return to Chelsea helm

THERE was a joke soon doing the rounds on Sunday that, to save time and money, Chelsea had already sacked their next manager.

But that could be a lot closer to the truth than many realise because I'm pretty sure Chelsea's next boss will be a man they sacked five years ago - Jose Mourinho.

The most curious part of AVB's dismissal was that Roberto di Matteo was immediately appointed as interim coach until the end of the campaign.

Was AVB really so bad that even his right-hand man is now expected to do a better job?

We'll obviously have to wait and see on Di Matteo, but I'd love to
have been a fly on the wall at Rafa Benitez's gaff when that was
announced.

Presumably Benitez was just making sure his phone was switched on when the news came through - or maybe he'd decided to save himself the hassle and had already made his way to Stamford Bridge ready to be unveiled.

Benitez was still the early favourite for the Chelsea job even after Di Matteo's appointment, but the fact the Blues have made such an obviously short-term appointment suggests the one Abramovich wants will only be available in the summer - and Mourinho obviously fits the bill.

The Special One has cracked Italy and Spain since he left the Bridge and soon he'll be back to take on his toughest task yet.