CHELSEA CONFIRM MOURINHO EXIT

• Chelsea have confirmed that coach Jose Mourinho has left the club.
  
  The Barclays Premier League club reacted to speculation over the future of the Portuguese coach by revealing the two parties had agreed to part company today by mutual consent.
  Mourinho is understood to have contacted five senior players on Wednesday afternoon to inform them of his departure and by midnight the entire first team squad were aware he was going.
  Peter Kenyon, the club's chief executive, Bruce Buck, the chairman, and Abramovich's key aide, Eugene Tenenbaum, were called to an emergency meeting at Stamford Bridge last night to discuss the emerging crisis.
  Former Israel coach Avram Grant, recruited in the summer as director of football, is expected to take charge of the side for Sunday's Barclays Premier League clash with Manchester United.
  A statement on the Chelsea website confirmed: "Chelsea Football Club and Jose Mourinho have agreed to part company today (Thursday) by mutual consent."
  Mourinho led the club to two Barclays Premier League titles after joining the club in June 2004 but their disappointing start to the new season had taken its toll on him.
  He still had three years left on a contract worth a staggering £6.5million a year.
  At the time he signed that deal, Mourinho said: "My heart is with Chelsea and the fantastic group of players that I have but the vision of the owner and the board for the future of Chelsea is also one I want to be a part of.
  "I cannot imagine another situation or another club where I could be happier. I am totally behind this project."
  But the Chelsea board are thought to have become increasingly unhappy over the team's form at the beginning of the campaign.
  The Blues are currently fifth in the Premier League, two points behind leaders Arsenal after six games, and their 1-1 draw with Rosenborg in their opening Champions League game on Tuesday night - played in front of less than 25,000 fans - did not help Mourinho's cause.
  
  JOSE MOURINHO FACTFILE
  1963: Born on January 26. Father Felix Mourinho was a former Portugal goalkeeper.
  1992: Takes first high-profile role in football when being appointed to work under Bobby Robson at Sporting Lisbon after middle-ranking jobs at Estrela Amadora and Vitoria Setubal. Begins as Robson's translator before becoming involved in team affairs.
  1993: Moves on with Robson when the veteran coach goes to Porto. In three years at Porto, the team win two league titles.
  1996: Joins Barcelona in the summer of 1996 as assistant coach to Robson.
  1997: Stays on at the Nou Camp after Robson departs, taking up a role under new coach Louis van Gaal.
  2000: Takes his first head coaching job at Benfica but lasts just nine games before resigning due to problems in the boardroom.
  2001: Appointed coach of Uniao de Leiria and guides the club into the top five of the Portuguese league midway through the 2001-02 season.
  2002: Joins Porto in January and the club overcome their poor start to the league season to finish third. In Mourinho's first full season in charge, Porto win the treble of domestic league and cup, and UEFA Cup.
  2004: Having already successfully defended their Portuguese league title, Porto win the Champions League title in Monaco on May 26 with a 3-0 victory over Monaco.
  June 2 - Appointed manager of Chelsea.
  2005: January 28 - Mourinho charged with improper conduct by the Football Association after comments made after the first leg of the Carling Cup semi-final against Manchester United.
  January 30 - A Sunday newspaper reports Mourinho, chief executive Peter Kenyon and Ashley Cole had a meeting in the Royal Park Hotel at Lancaster Gate - allegations constituting an illegal approach. Less than a week later the Premier League launch an inquiry.
  February 23 - Following a 2-1 defeat at Barcelona - in which Didier Drogba was sent off - in the first leg of the Champions League first knock-out round, Mourinho claims Barca manager Frank Rijkaard went into referee Anders Frisk's dressing room at half-time. UEFA's official observers said they witnessed nothing untoward.
  February 27 - Chelsea win their first trophy under Mourinho, the Carling Cup, with 3-2 win over Liverpool. Mourinho is involved in more controversy, having wandered along the touchline in front of the Liverpool fans putting his fingers to his lips. Mourinho is later "reminded of his responsibilities" by the FA.
  March 8 - Chelsea beat Barcelona 4-2 at Stamford Bridge to reach Champions League quarter-finals.
  March 10 - Mourinho fined £5,000 for comments after Carling Cup semi-final match against Manchester United.
  March 21 - UEFA charge Mourinho, assistant boss Steve Clarke and security official Les Miles with making "wrong and unfounded" statements about the allegedmeeting between Frisk and Rijkaard.
  March 23 - FA charge Mourinho, Chelsea and Ashley Cole in relation to alleged 'tapping-up' hotel meeting.
  March 31 - Handed two-match touchline ban and 20,000 Swiss francs (around £9,000) fine by UEFA's control and disciplinary body. Club fined 75,000 Swiss francs (£33,000).
  April 30 - Chelsea seal Barclays Premiership title with 2-0 win at Bolton, prompting Mourinho to say he was keen to sit down and discuss extending his stay at Stamford Bridge.
  May 4 - Jose Mourinho agrees terms on a new five-year contract.
  June 1 - Found to be in breach of Premier League Rule Q, governing managers' conduct in relation to Chelsea's illegal approach to Arsenal full-back Cole. Fined £200,000 by the Premier League, later reduced to £75,000 on appeal.
  2006: April 29 - Chelsea beat rivals Manchester United 3-0 to win their second consecutive Premiership title and Mourinho's fourth domestic title in a row.
  2007: January 10 - Mourinho rejects claims that he has faced dressing-room unrest with summer signing Michael Ballack's contribution to the team.
  January 11 - Rumours Mourinho could leave Chelsea in the summer surface after he accused the Stamford Bridge board of refusing to back him in the January transfer window.
  February 27 - Wins a second Carling Cup, beating Arsenal 2-1 at the Millennium Stadium.
  April 15 - Secures an FA Cup final meeting with Manchester United with a 2-1 extra-time win over Blackburn. Shares a hug with Abramovich, raising suggestions of a warming in relations between the pair.
  May - Loses Champions League semi-final to Rafael Benitez's Liverpool on penalties and sees United wrest the Barclays Premier League crown from Stamford Bridge. Gains some revenge with an extra-time win over United in the FA Cup final at Wembley.
  During the close season only Florent Malouda and Juliano Belletti arrive in cash deals, with Arjen Robben, Glen Johnson and Lassana Diarra departing to balance the books as the lavish spending of previous seasons remained a thing of the past.
  July 12 - Warned newly-appointed director of football Avram Grant not to interfere with team affairs.
  August 12 - Chelsea set a new record of 64 unbeaten home matches in the English top flight with a win over Birmingham.
  September 2 - After a good start to the season Chelsea lose 2-0 at Aston Villa, prompting Abramovich to leave the directors box before the final whistle.
  September 18 - The Blues follow up an uninspiring home draw with Blackburn with a lacklustre 1-1 stalemate with Rosenborg in the Champions League. Only 24,973 supporters attend the match and boos ring out at the final whistle. Mourinho admitted: "Of course I am alarmed. I am not happy."
  September 19 - Leaves Chelsea by "mutual consent", according to a club statement.