Chelsea Manager Pays the Price for a Missed Goal
by Zoe Strimpel
Tue, 27 May 2008 at 5:10 PM
In a wince-making example of just how harsh life can be, especially where British soccer is concerned, Avram Grant, the Israeli manager of the Chelsea club, has been sacked. His crime was John Terry's missed penalty in the shootout for the European Championship in Moscow last week, causing the west London team to lose to Manchester United.
But now the front-page news is that Mr. Grant has employed Anthony Julius, the famously effective divorce lawyer (former clients: Princess Diana, Heather Mills until he cut her off, Deborah Lipstadt), to negotiate his severance pay in what looks set to be a grisly parting. Pictures of Mr. Grant in today's paper were not of a happy camper; any coziness between him and the Chelsea team must now evaporate and be replaced by gritted determination on Mr. Grant's part to get what he believes he deserves.
It was said that he got the top job through his friendship — even kinship — with Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich. But Mr. Grant was also very good — now making it hard not to pity him. Still, there's enough money rolling around the Premier League to keep the violins at bay. The game is likely not quite over even for Avram Grant.
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