:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47580937/GettyImages-495448846.0.jpg)
Never a boring day when the smell of napalm wafts through the morning air like the smoke from the fires burning underneath Jose Mourinho's feet. Or something.
Light 'em up!
First up today, Chelsea legend Gianfranco Zola. We heard from him just the other day, talking about John Terry's possible move to the Qatar Stars League, which just so happens to be where Zola's currently trying his hand at club football management for the fourth time. And while he's confident that Chelsea will turn the season around, he couldn't help but reveal a very interesting ambition.
"My dream, let us say my ambition, is to be Chelsea manager some day in the future. However, I realise that I need to improve as a manager if I want to get there. And I am working hard to achieve my goal. Qatar is helping me a lot in this regard. I try to make my side play football in the way I want to see the game played. I have made a small start with Al-Arabi and I am confident the results will be seen in the near future."
-Gianfranco Zola; source: FourFourTwo
Four wins from seven to start the season for Zola, who has yet to achieve a winning percentage of 50% or better at any of his jobs. But the experience is indeed very important and it would be entirely unsurprising to see him back at the Bridge one day in a managerial capacity. As much as it's a risk to return to a place you're loved so much, surely, "Zola, Chelsea manager" is something that's written in the stars (of the future).
Less glamorous would be current Monaco manager Leonardo Jardim, but who, in a way, could be a third coming of The Special One after Mourinho himself and Andre Villas-Boas. The 41-year-old Jardim, born in Venezuela to Portuguese parents, with no playing career to speak of, has been working as a manager since his late 20s, working his way up the ladder in Portugal from third division GD Chaves to big name Sporting CP. He switched to Monaco two summers ago, and supposedly has a €10m release clause in his contract.
En cas de départ de #Mourinho de #Chelsea, #Abramovitch aimerait se payer #Jardim et pourrait lâcher 10M€ à #Monaco
— Nicolas Vilas (@nicolas_vilas) November 3, 2015
So I guess this would entail a manager swap of sorts then?
Lastly, here's Matt Hughes of The Times with further rumors of Mourinho's contract having a clause that if he were to to get sacked, he would "only" receive one year's worth of salary as severance. That's still about £10m, which is a ridiculous amount of money to you and I, but far less than the full contract value of £40m initially bandied about. This report matches what the Mirror were saying last week. Apparently we made this change after the firing of Roberto Di Matteo, who, like all the other managers of the Roman Era before him, was entitled to the rest of his contract as long as he didn't take another job.
The Times also say that Chelsea would not stand in Mourinho's way were he to choose another English club to manage after we kick him out the door, which, despite words to the contrary a couple years ago, would apparently be something José would consider given how settled his family is in London.
Now back to your regularly scheduled non-apocalyptic programming, which should last until at least kick-off tonight against Dynamo Kiev.