Tangled up in blues

WE WILL all be watching out for the tell-tale signs at Old Trafford tomorrow: confusion, irritability, anger, loss, sudden fits of weeping, maybe even the odd eruption of violence. Chelsea, you feel sure, are about to experience their first full-blown symptoms of PMT — Post Mourinho Tension.

The news, when it broke late on Wednesday night, was sensational. But you could hardly call it a shock. If Manchester United ditched Alex Ferguson today, that would be a shock. Ditto Arsene Wenger parting company with Arsenal. But Jose Mourinho’s departure from Stamford Bridge, while undoubtedly one of great surprises of the sporting year, always had a whiff of grim inevitability of it. Given the wholly dysfunctional nature of the relationship between manager and owner at Chelsea, the only issue was whether the parting of ways would come sooner rather than later — and probably irrespective of whether Mourinho managed to deliver the quadruple, the grand slam, the Tour de France, the Grand National and the world darts championship.

Ah, but did he jump or was he pushed? The question appears to be obsessing Chelsea fans, understandably baffled by an official club statement which insisted that Mourinho had neither resigned nor been sacked. Perhaps Liamo, your ever faithful Agony Uncle, can help.