Avram Grant sinks to his knees as the whistle goes.
John Terry has insisted Avram Grant has to remain Chelsea
manager now he has taken the club to the Champions League Final for
the first time in their history. The Blues beat Liverpool 3-2 in
the semi-final second leg to secure a 4-3 win on aggregate and
ensure Grant has succeeded where predecessor Jose Mourinho failed.
The Israeli has been the subject of constant speculation that he
will be fired if he does not win the Premier or Champions League
this season.
But when asked if Grant has already done enough to keep his job
by booking Chelsea's place in the final against Manchester United
in Moscow, Terry said: "I would have thought so. It's for the club
to make that decision, but things have been very good and results
don't lie. "To get to where we are and to still question the
manager's the role at the club is unbelievable. You look at the
League table since the manager has taken over and he's been very
good. All we can do once we're out there and once the manager is in
charge, is our best.
"That's what we've done to get to the Champions League Final. I
think he deserves respect. "The club has never got to a Champions
League Final before." But one man who knows that respect is no
guarantee of job security at Chelsea is Mourinho's predecessor
Claudio Ranieri, who fears Grant will be sacked unless his side
actually win in Moscow.
Ranieri was sacked in 2004 after his side were beaten by Monaco
in the Champions League semi-final and while goals from Didier
Drogba and Frank Lampard put Chelsea into the final, he is unsure
that owner Roman Abramovich will be happy with just that. "I think
Grant deserved this victory," the Italian told BBC Radio Five Live.
However, asked what will happen if Chelsea fail to win in the
final, the Italian said: "This is a difficult answer but I think if
Grant doesn't win, I think he's finished in the job.
"I think if Grant wins something, then okay, maybe he'll
continue, but if not... I don't know the mind of Roman Abramovich,
it's very difficult to know what he thinks. "It is the first
(European Cup) final of Chelsea's history, going to Moscow, it's
fantastic for him. He'll be very, very proud."
John Terry celebrates as Chelsea book their place in the
Champions League Final.
Grant is putting Chelsea to one side today as he will fly to
Poland to visit Auschwitz out of respect for Holocaust Day, which
took place yesterday. He collapsed to his knees on the pitch at the
final whistle and revealed: "It was a special day for me. Hard but
very special. My father buried my grandfather with his own hands,
so this day always has an extra significance. "My father was the
most optimistic and strong person I have ever known, so to reach
the Champions League Final today of all days was unbelievable."
