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5 managers who could replace Jose Mourinho at Chelsea

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich will need to move fast to appoint the right man.

SO, JUST SEVEN month after winning the Premier League title, Chelsea have parted company with manager Jose Mourinho.

Sitting a single point above the relegation zone heading into the busy Christmas period, club owner Roman Abramovich is likely to already have a replacement lined up ahead of league games against Sunderland, Watford and Manchester United over the next 10 days.

Below, we run through five possible replacements for The Special One.

Guus Hiddink (1/5)

Having taken over the Blues as interim manager back in 2009, the Dutchman led them to FA Cup success and is favourite to come in on a similar short-term basis.

Vastly-experienced at the top level, 69-year-old Hiddink would be an ideal stopgap to steady the ship and is available after getting the boot from the Netherlands job back in June.

Soccer - FA Cup - Final - Chelsea v Everton - Wembley Stadium PA Archive / Press Association Images PA Archive / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

Carlo Ancelotti (8/1)

Among the few elite managers in world football, Carlo Ancelotti would be another man taking up the position for a second time if appointed by Chelsea.

The Italian led the London club to their first Premier League and FA Cup double in 2010 before being shown the exit door a year later.

Ancelotti is out of football since leaving Real Madrid in the summer and would undoubtedly command the respect of the dressing room.

Soccer - Chelsea Press Conference - Cobham Training Ground Steve Parsons Steve Parsons

Juande Ramos (8/1)

It may not be a name that you would expect to see on a list like this, but Spaniard Juande Ramos has emerged as a surprise candidate for the manager’s position at Chelsea.

Former Sevilla and Real Madrid boss Ramos, who won the league cup with Tottenham in 2008, has reportedly held talks with Abramovich about becoming the caretaker manager.

Left his last club, Ukrainain outfit Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk, in 2014.

Soccer - Barclays Premier League - Stoke City v Tottenham Hotspur - Britannia Stadium EMPICS Sport EMPICS Sport

Brendan Rodgers  (10/1)

Another unlikely option but we’ve seen stranger things happen in football down through the years.

Brendan Rodgers spent four years at the club coaching their youth and reserves teams before leaving to further his own managerial career.

Now a free agent after being replaced by Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool, the Antrim man is an outside bet to take the reins.

Soccer - Barclays Premier League - Chelsea v Fulham - Stamford Bridge PA Archive / Press Association Images PA Archive / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

John Terry (40/1)

Back in 1998, then Chelsea chairman Ken Bates dismissed manager Ruud Gullit with one of his players —  Gianluca Vialli.

Of course it would be a huge gamble to appoint a man with zero managerial experience when you’re effectively fighting relegation.

However, there is no denying the Chelsea skipper is a born leader and he clearly loves the club dearly.

Almost certainly won’t happen but imagine how much fun it would be!

Britain Soccer Champions League AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

Who would you like to see replace Mourinho?

Jose Mourinho sacked by Chelsea – reports

One of Europe’s finest players hit with another injury setback and it’s not looking good

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    Mute Robert O Farrell
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    Mar 24th 2020, 7:11 PM

    Brilliant stuff lads – cheers for that. Some great recommendations.

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    Mute Gerard Browne
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    Mar 24th 2020, 8:06 PM

    You can add A Year Till Sunday. Best GAA documentary

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    Mute Tommy C
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    Mar 24th 2020, 11:43 PM

    @Gerard Browne: never knew there was a doc on Ring, will watch for sure

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    Mute Stevie D
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    Mar 25th 2020, 5:28 AM

    @Gerard Browne: Was coming here to comment the same thing. An absolute classic. Watched it again last week. Ja is the man!

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    Mute Stephen Lyons
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    Mar 25th 2020, 9:27 AM

    @Stevie D: John Divilly…..sin é!

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    Mute Fr Chewy Louis
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    Mar 25th 2020, 9:53 AM

    @Gerard Browne: Not just GAA, one of the best sports docs ever made

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    Mute Gerard Browne
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    Mar 25th 2020, 2:12 PM

    @Fr Chewy Louis: it was before its time. Even a cameo appearance by Eamon Dunphy haha

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    Mute Robert O Farrell
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    Mar 24th 2020, 9:32 PM

    If anyone has BBC 4 I cannot recommend OJ Simpson- made in America, highly enough. It’s a 5 part 30 for 30 documentaries series. It’s one of the greatest documentaries ever made- probably a bit of a stretch to put it in the sports bracket given the subjects infamy & notoriety. Part 2 is on tonight if anyone wants to series link.

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    Mute The Great Cornholio
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    Mar 25th 2020, 4:52 AM

    @Robert O Farrell: check out a documentary called ‘madness on wheels rallyings crazy years’. Its about when car rallying turned into an arms race to make crazier faster cars in the 1980s with the inevitable banning of the particular group b class due to driver and spectator deaths. If it’s no longer on YouTube it will be on dailymotion

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    Mute Stephen Lyons
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    Mar 25th 2020, 9:29 AM

    @Robert O Farrell: 30 for 30 are class, some great documentaries, Sole Man is a personal favourite of mine. Their podcasts are good too.

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    Mute The Great Cornholio
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    Mar 25th 2020, 9:40 AM

    @Stephen Lyons: slaying the badger is hilarious. Hinault is meant to be the baddy as opposed to Greg lemond but hes so cool even in middle age you find yourself rooting for him

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    Mute The Upside-down Triangle
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    Mar 24th 2020, 7:25 PM

    Hoop Dreams a great doc to watch on YouTube

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    Mute thomas patrick
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    Mar 24th 2020, 9:55 PM

    Formula 1 drive to survive is superb

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    Mute Paul Ryan
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    Mar 24th 2020, 10:04 PM

    For anyone missing Irish basketball there’s ‘We Got Game – The Golden Age of Irish Basketball’. A brilliant documentary on basketball in the eighties featuring Kelvin Troy, who once kept Larry Bird to 6pts in a college game, Dave Hopla, still regarded as the best shooter in the world, and Mario Elie, who went on to win 3 NBA titles after his time in Ireland. Whether you’re into Irish basketball or not it’s a fascinating sports documentary and well worth a watch.

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    Mute Warren Mcdermott
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    Mar 24th 2020, 9:57 PM

    The gatti ward fights were unbelievable and round 9 will go down as one of if not the best round of all time

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    Mute Brian Dunne
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    Mar 25th 2020, 4:53 AM

    @Warren Mcdermott: two absolute warriors

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    Mute Nathan Maguire
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    Mar 24th 2020, 9:52 PM

    The weight of a nation, a documentary on New Zealand’s 2011 world cup win is brilliant too. Surprised it wasn’t in the original list.

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    Mute Phil Donnelly
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    Mar 24th 2020, 7:35 PM

    If you’re interested in American Sports, would recommend Foul Play, the series documenting the Ole Miss/ Laremy Tunsil scandal, and how corrupt the NCAA system is.

    https://youtu.be/_Qm-P2foSE4

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    Mute Adrian O Reilly
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    Mar 24th 2020, 9:21 PM

    Great article guys. Thanks for the recommendations.

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    Mute Patrick McCarron
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    Mar 25th 2020, 7:04 AM

    Jim Stynes – Every Heart Beats Through. Watched it on YouTube last week for the first time in ages. What an inspirational man.

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    Mute EnKy
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    Mar 25th 2020, 7:52 AM

    @Patrick McCarron: Great shout. An incredible watch.

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    Mute Connoroconner
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    Mar 24th 2020, 9:52 PM

    ‘A Sunday in Hell’ free on YouTube, for cycling fans.

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    Mute Richard Cronin
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    Mar 24th 2020, 10:20 PM

    The Bert Trautman story on YouTube

    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_RvDhsv8jjw

    If you have amazon then I highly recommend the best of men, it’s about Ludwig Gutterman he created the Paralympics

    https://www.amazon.com/Best-Men-Eddie-Marsan/dp/B00IWLJ3H0

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    Mute Richard Cronin
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    Mar 24th 2020, 10:24 PM

    @Richard Cronin: also I rather enjoyed the toughest trade

    https://m.youtube.com/results?search_query=the+toughest+trade++

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    Mute Finn Toner
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    Mar 25th 2020, 8:28 AM

    The 2009 Lions documentary is also available on YouTube. ROG like.

    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=97uxJmXMQuc

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    Mute Richard McBriar
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    Mar 25th 2020, 6:04 PM

    Road (2014) The story of the Dunlops and Knuckle (2011) are top documentaries

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    Mute Barry Dowling
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    Mar 25th 2020, 7:51 PM

    @Richard McBriar: Excellent

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    Mute Jonathan Nolan
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    Mar 25th 2020, 4:19 AM

    “All for one” also for cycling fans.
    Great doco showing the team effort of a cycling team and that to a layman it may come across as an individual sport, but it is really anything but. The trials and tribulations (not to mention the funny sides) of a cycling team.
    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ch1m085rpU

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    Mute Shane Murphy
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    Mar 25th 2020, 12:55 PM

    For me it’s the one and only ringy!! ( Christy Ring) xx

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    Mute Owen Lydon
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    Mar 25th 2020, 2:13 PM

    ‘The Names on the Cup’ brilliant documentary and ‘The Broadstreet Bullies’

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