AVRAM GRANT insists Chelsea would have won the
title if he had taken over sooner from Jose Mourinho. The Israeli
replaced the Special One as boss six weeks into the season with
Blues struggling in fifth place.
But Grant said: “I tell you this: If Chelsea had played
at the beginning of the season like they did at the end then they
would definitely have been champions of England ahead of Man
United.”
Grant, axed by Roman Abramovich on Saturday, took the
title race to the final day before United retained their crown. He
added: “Over the last three months of the season with me working as
manager, we were never called boring Chelsea.
“No one expected Chelsea to win things because when I
took over, the team were fifth and had just been held to a
Champions League draw by Rosenborg. “No one believed we would have
finished second and reached the Champions League final in
Moscow.”
"I was told by the club that I had come in as part of building
the future and my position was not dependent on achievements.
Nobody expected we would win anything, because I was given the club
when we were fifth in the league and had drawn at home to Rosenborg
in the Champions League.
"Nobody believed that we could even finish second or reach the
Champions League Final in Moscow. "But the target I set myself was
to at least reach the Champions League Final because a team that
invests so much money should at least reach the final."
Grant will be handed a £4m pay-off. He said: “I’m not
suing anybody. Roman is a very good friend.”