Chelsea are bigger than Mourinho says Kenyon

LONDON (AFP) - Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon claims Jose Mourinho had to leave because the club had outgrown him.

Kenyon hinted that Roman Abramovich's desire to pack the team with superstars who could help make Chelsea into the world's biggest club and most recognisable brand was incompatible with Mourinho's football philosophy.

Whereas Abramovich was determined to bring global icons like Andriy Shevchenko and Michael Ballack to Chelsea regardless of their worth to the team, Mourinho believes in a work-ethic and selfless approach often lacking in household names.

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Mourinho's exit was caused in large part by repeated clashes with Abramovich that started with the manager's failure to play Shevchenko regularly.

Kenyon said: "The criteria of what we need for a manager has changed because the club has changed. The position of Chelsea has changed.

"I can honestly say when we appointed Jose one of the key criteria I was looking for was an ethos of what a winning team was all about.

"We have moved on. Chelsea today is a very different club. It's players are at a completely different level of those who were here three years ago.

"The results in the future will demonstrate we have taken the right decision."

Kenyon admitted Mourinho's determination to stick to his no-stars policy had become too much for Abramovich to stomach as the team got off to a bad start to the season.

"What did change over the last 10 days is that through discussions with Jose and the club it became apparent that in order to ensure the club moved forward it was the right decision," Kenyon said.

"The last six months have been difficult for everybody. Things in football move quickly. This was one of those events. There were no bust-ups or major disagreements, just a series of discussions occurring."

If Mourinho was planning to make a quick return to the Premier League he may have to think again after Chelsea PLC chairman Bruce Buck refused to deny that the club had inserted a clause in the Portuguese's settlement that stops him managing another English top-flight team.

It is normal practice for companies to ensure former employers cannot join rivals for a set period of time and Buck, speaking at the unveiling of Mourinho's successor Avram Grant, hinted that was the case with Mourinho.

Tottenham are leading the chase for Mourinho, who is still considering where his future lies.

It may not be in England after Buck said: "The specific terms of the contract are confidential. There is nothing in the contract which I, as a corporate lawyer, would view as particularly unusal in the context of an executive of a company moving on.

"The discussions that Peter and I had with Jose and his lawyers were 100 percent civilised and as stable as you can expect in the circumstances.

"The key parts of the discussions were finished in less than 15 minutes. Jose told us he was very satisfied with the way the negoitations were handled."

Buck gave a clear indication that Mourinho's days were numbered from the moment he began to defy Abramovich over key decisions.

The Portguese coach angered Abramovich by refusing to play Andriy Shevchenko, who the Russian billionaire personally signed for Chelsea, and Buck expects no similiar disagreements with Grant.

He said: "We don't argue that Jose's track record on paper is more successful on paper than Avram's, but it is very important in a relationship between a manager and an owner that there is mutual confidence, agreement on strategy, vision and approach."

Buck also revealed that Grant has yet to agree a contract with the Blues because his appointment had been so rushed.

"We actually haven't agreed a contract with Avram yet," he said. "Things have happened pretty quickly. That is something we will do in the days ahead."