Jose Mourinho is still the best manager in the world, claims agent Jorge Mendes despite Chelsea sacking

Jose Mourinho was sacked as Chelsea manager on Thursday afternoon
The 52-year-old is set to be replaced by former Blues boss Guus Hiddink
Mourinho’s agent Jorge Mendes insists he remains the world’s best coach
Chelsea are one point off relegation zone after 16 Premier League games

Nicholas Godden for MailOnline

Published:
01:19 GMT, 18 December 2015

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Updated:
01:19 GMT, 18 December 2015

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Super agent Jorge Mendes insists Jose Mourinho is still the best manager in the world despite his unceremonious sacking by Chelsea on Thursday.

The Potuguese boss left Chelsea for the second time after the club’s hierarchy decided to act following a tumultuous first half of the season that has left the Blues just a single point above the Premier League relegation zone.

Mourinho was fired after pulling crackers and eating roast turkey with Chelsea’s coaching staff and players at the club’s silver service Christmas lunch but Mendes, who represents the 52-year-old will bounce back.

Jose Mourinho took Chelsea training on Thursday morning before being sacked as manger after lunch

The Portuguese boss was fired during a 10-minute meeting with owner Roman Abramovich

‘Jose Mourinho does not stop being who he is and he is still the best coach in the world despite leaving Chelsea,’ Mendes told Portuguese newspaper A Bola.

‘When Mourinho left Chelsea the first time, he accepted a tremendous challenge and did what no-one in the football world believed he could do and that was to take on Inter and lead them to win the Champions League, Serie A and Coppa Italia, a truly remarkable achievement.

‘Then he went to Real Madrid and inspired an historic achievement of the Spanish league, beating all possible records against a great Barcelona, and also the Copa del Rey.’

Mourinho’s contract was terminated at the training ground after owner Roman Abramovich took less than five minutes of the latest gathering of senior board members — their third of the week — to finally swing the axe.

Mourinho will be replaced in the short term by Dutchman Guus Hiddink, 69, who had a spell as interim boss at Stamford Bridge in 2009, winning the FA Cup.

Mourinho was summoned to a meeting in the main building with Abramovich, chairman Bruce Buck and director Eugene Tenenbaum, having pulled crackers and eaten roast turkey.

The exchange, which lasted less than 10 minutes, concluded weeks of talks between Chelsea’s lawyers, Mendes and the manager’s legal team over his £250,000-a-week contract.

Mourinho was summoned to a meeting with Roman Abramovich, Bruce Buck and Eugene Tenembaum

Mourinho’s agent Jorge Mendes (right) insists the axed manager remains the best in the world

Although his mood at training had been dark following Monday’s 2-1 defeat at Leicester, his players were in high spirits when they went upstairs for their Christmas lunch. They laughed and joked, not knowing the axe was coming for their manager. Inside, he was burning.

Within minutes, he was out of a job after a short conversation with the Russian owner and the two directors. Mourinho soon left with his belongings, including a life-size cardboard cut-out and a ‘Special One’ mug.

Mourinho leaves Chelsea with club marooned in 16th place in the Barclays Premier League with just 15 points collected from 16 games.