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Before Jose Mourinho arrived at Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal and their managers, Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger, ruled the roost. Sure, multi billionaire Roman Abramovich's money was always going to bring Chelsea into contention with the big boys but money alone does not guarantee prolonged success. What was needed was a manager who would marshal the team, control the egos, and who wouldn't wilt when subjected to the psychological mind games that Ferguson and (to a lesser extent) Wenger are so adept at. Enter a maverick Portuguese manager by the name of Jose Mourinho.

Mourinho had made his name by guiding relatively unfashionable Portuguese team Porto to success in the UEFA cup in 2003. The ethos that he preached was team-work over flair and he quickly went about establishing Chelsea as an ultra effective, if not particularly silky team. At the back his fearless centre back and captain, John Terry, was the epitome of Mourinho's team. He brought in possibly the world's best goalkeeper, Peter Cech, and a powerful striker in Didier Drogba. The previous Chelsea manager, Claudio Ranieri, had been criticised (and dubbed the Tinkerman) for employing a squad rotation system that often saw Chelsea drop silly points. Under Mourinho, you pretty much knew what the team would be all the time, and this consistency was another of their strengths.

It was though Mourinho's total self belief and his unwavering support for his players (even in the face of justifiable criticism) that was the key ingredient in establishing Chelsea as the new super-force in English football. Chelsea won the league title in 2004/05 season, their first title for 50 years. They then followed that up by retaining the title the next season.

Things started to go sour during the 2006/07 season, as the personal relationship between Mourinho and Abramovich deteriorated. This led to Mourinho's departure in September 2007. His departure was greeted like a family bereavement by the Chelsea faithful. They had waited so long for success, only to see their special one booted out of the club.

So, how will Chelsea do without Mourinho? The early signs are quite good. New manager, Avram Grant, recently saw his team to a 6-0 win over Manchester City in the Premier league, with the team playing sparkling football. The signs are that Grant's Chelsea will play a more expansive game. This, though, may leave them more vulnerable at the back. And Grant still hasn't been tested in big games when the pressure is truly on. History shows that there are very few true greats when it comes to managers. Mourinho certainly was one and clubs let a manager of that calibre go at their peril. I'm sure that Abramovich's money will buy Chelsea more trophies but their shot at prolonged dominance may be gone. The signs are that Manchester United and Arsenal are staging a revival. Only time will tell though who the long-term victors will be in English football's premier echelons.

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