A 2-0 loss is not the best of ways to start your coaching career but Chelsea’s new coach Avram Grant insists he has derived a lot of positives from the defeat against Manchester United.
After the maverick Jose Mourinho snapped his tie with Chelsea, Grant stepped into his shoes but Manchester United soured his debut with Carlos Tevez heading home the first goal and later Luis Saha converted a penalty kick.
A nonchalant Grant, however, seemed unperturbed as he praised his players for responding well in the match.
Grant said
With everything that has happened, I’m happy with the way they have behaved. It was a shock to everyone, including me, but they have responded well.
Grant felt his wards were going neck-and-neck with their rivals but things changed when Mikel Jon Obi was given the marching order.
Grant said
We were playing well until Mikel was sent off and the game changed then. I saw in the game and at the hotel, the players are more than OK and are trying to do their best on and off the pitch.
It seemed the wrong decision and it was also wrong that United scored in the third minute of injury time when the referee said there would only be two.
Meanwhile, there are rumors doing the rounds are that some of the Chelsea players are already mulling over a revolt in the wake of Mourinho’s exit and that is surely not a music to Grant’s ears.
