FORMER GHANA COACH AVRAM GRANT WAS NEVER REALLY GIVEN A CHANCE AT CHELSEA – MICHAEL BALLACK

Former Chelsea midfielder Michael Ballack believes his former boss Avram Grant was not really given a chance at the Stamford Bridge.

According to Ballack, the Israeli had been written off even before he got the appointment as Chelsea manager in 2007 following Mourinho's departure.

Grant was the Director of football at the club and was trusted to lead the team and despite getting to both the Champions League and League Cup final he was sacked at the end od the season.

“He never really had a chance,” said the 43-year-old.

”It is really difficult, after Jose Mourinho, to work at Chelsea. It could cause a problem for any manager because he had such a great relationship with the players and the fans.

“We played really good football under him (Grant), we had more freedom. He managed the team in a different way. Not so, leading the team but more by giving freedom to the players.

“A lot of players thought he would be weak, but he wasn't. He was really smart and intelligent.”

After leaving Chelsea, Grant managed Portsmouth, West Ham and Partizan Belgrade before becoming Ghana coach in 2014.

The 64-year-old led Ghana to the final of the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations final in Equatorial Guinea.