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Mourinho quits Chelsea in shocking move

London, England (Sports Network) - A little over one day after Chelsea played to a 1-1 draw with Rosenborg in Champions League play, manager Jose Mourinho's three-year run as manager of Chelsea ended on Thursday.

In a stunning announcement that will shake up not only England but the rest of Europe, the club's website confirmed Mourinho's departure in a short statement.

"Chelsea Football Club and Jose Mourinho have agreed to part company today (Thursday) by mutual consent."

Reportedly, Mourinho had contacted some of his veteran players, such as Frank Lampard, and informed them late Wednesday night that he would not return after talks at Stamford Bridge ended with his departure.

Mourinho made a name for himself by guiding FC Porto to the 2004 Champions League title before taking over at Chelsea in June of that year.

He lead the club to Premiership titles in his first two seasons, as well as the FA Cup last year and a pair of Carling Cup crowns in 2005 and 2007.

The Portuguese manager has posted a 124-21-40 mark in his stay in London, including a record 60-match unbeaten streak in Premiership play at Stamford Bridge.

It is no secret that Mourinho and owner Roman Abramovich have not seen eye- to-eye lately.

The feud began last season when Abramovich failed to supply Mourinho with the financial backing he needed to secure his transfer targets in January, which Mourinho feels is one of the reasons that Manchester United was able to wrestle the Premiership title away from Chelsea.

Abramovich, for his part, has sunk nearly one billion dollars into the club, and has to be frustrated that Chelsea has failed to capture Europe's biggest prize, the Champions League.

Tuesday's disappointing draw with Rosenborg in front of a less-than-impressive crowd looks to be the breaking point for the two.

Mourinho has continued to publicly voice his opinions over Chelsea's need for the best players, which can't sit well with Abramovich, since the Blues already boast a loaded roster of players.

Chelsea has gotten off to a slow start by its standards, posting a 3-1-2 mark in league play and struggling to find the goal with just seven tallies in six matches.

Director of football Avram Grant is expected to take over the team for its big EPL contest at Manchester United on Sunday. However, Grant does not appear to be the long-term answer, and Abramovich is expected to look for a more high profile man to put on the bench.

Among the names that have been thrown out there is Russia coach Guus Hiddink and former Germany manager Jurgen Klinsmann. Sevilla's Juande Ramos is another possibility after leading the club to back-to-back UEFA Cup titles.

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