Grant: No crisis at Chelsea
11 Mar 2008 - 15:58:20
Chelsea first-team coach Avram Grant has rejected talk of a crisis at Stamford Bridge following their FA Cup exit at the hands of Barnsley.
Grant, who was talking ahead of Wednesday's Premier League visit of bottom club Derby County, insists rumours of a crisis are wide of the mark.
Reports had suggested unhappy owner Roman Abramovich would sack the Israeli coach should he fail to win either the Premier League or Champions League this season.
The Russian billionaire was said to be deeply disappointed by their defeat to Spurs in last month's Carling Cup Final and the FA Cup humbling by the Championships side.
"I know that at Chelsea, like a lot of big clubs, every loss is a crisis but it's not like that," claimed Grant.
"We're a big club. We know how to behave inside after winning and after losing games.
"We are very disappointed to have lost on Saturday, even if we're in good company with the other clubs in the Premier League who have gone out.
"I'm not under any more pressure than I was before and I'm not under any less."
Meanwhile, Grant has played down concerns that a restless Abramovich could end his brief tenure at the end of the season.
"Roman is a very strong guy. He does not change his mind if he loses a game or if we win a game. He thinks about the vision of the club and how we handle this," he continued.
"We are a big club and we don't change our way because we have one bad week or two bad weeks.
"I came for this job to take the team forward. The minute I believe I can't take the team forward, or someone else tells me that, I'll accept it."