My heart beats for Chelsea

II hate break-ups. Whether it’s two lovers sobbing in final embrace or a football manager turning back to take a final look at the ground where he yelled his last instructions just hours ago. I can’t endure the pain of separation.

I was devastated when Jose Mourinho left Chelsea. Despite his known ambitions of one day coaching Portugal in the World Cup, I felt Chelsea was the soul mate he wanted. He was getting the results - two premier league titles, an FA Cup, two Carling Cups and a Community Shield in four years. Fans loved him as did the players.

Alas, there are always many ruining Cupid’s noble plans. Heart-to-heart connections aren’t valuable any more. It is results and better results that only matter. Under Mourinho Chelsea struggled in Europe. Bosses came with suggestions. But a proud and individualistic Mourinho didn’t quite like the interference in his affair. And off he went in search of a new love interest.

After a casual and open relationship with Avram Grant, Chelsea sought solace in Luiz Felipe Scolari. He seemed the ideal man, almost Mourinho-like in eccentricities. This could work, was the general opinion at Stamford Bridge.

I wasn’t so sure, haven’t lived through the Mourinho era. But Scolari started well. Chelsea were getting the unheard of results, 4-0 and 5-0, unlike the clinical 1-0s of the Mourinho era. Scolari had promised to bring the music of Brazil to London and it felt he would keep the promise.

But, like all honeymoon periods, this phase was short lived. Came the home defeat, first in 86 games (and 4 years, 8 months - a 1-2 loss to Arsenal when Claudio Ranieri was the manager), to Liverpool. That began the souring of the relationship.

Results went from bad to worse as Chelsea at one point slipped to fifth in the Premier League table. It was only a matter of time for the relationship to break.

Scolari was freed last Monday to pursue newer loves. But at this break-up I didn’t quite feel so bad. Scolari came with baggage. In his 20-year career, the Brazilian has coached as many as 20 teams - 17 clubs and three national teams. With most teams, he hung around for only a year. He sought variety. His longest stint was the five years he spent as the coach of Portugal. Scolari wasn’t the life-long love I wanted for Chelsea. The heart belonged to Mourinho and it needed a stronger, more consistent man to tear it away from him.

Maybe, I am being unfair. Maybe, Scolari needed a longer reign. He has the World Cup to his name. But then again, in love you seek the comfort of a Tom Hanks rather than the package of a Brad Pitt.

Now it’s Guus Hiddink who has been brought in to patch the broken heart. Should the heart welcome him, for he comes for a short-time?

Why not? He also comes with a magic wand. It could work!