UPDATED 15:50 - Stephen Doyle
Jose Mourinho has been sacked as Chelsea manager this afternoon. His pleas to the club's hierarchy after Monday's 2-1 defeat to Leicester City have fallen on deaf ears
In a statement released this afternoon the club have said, "Chelsea Football Club and Jose Mourinho have today parted company by mutual consent.
"All at Chelsea thank Jose for his immense contribution since he returned as manager in the summer of 2013.
"His three league titles, FA Cup, Community Shield and three League Cup wins over two spells make him the most successful manager in our 110-year history.
"But both Jose and the board agreed results have not been good enough this season and believe it is in the best interests of both parties to go our separate ways.
"The club wishes to make clear Jose leaves us on good terms and will always remain a much-loved, respected and significant figure at Chelsea."
The Portuguese has singled out several players for criticism this season but on Monday night the collective received some very harsh comments regarding their performance
Mourinho was unhappy that the players did not heed the defensive instructions given to them during their match preparation
The defeat to the Foxes leaves Chelsea hovering just one point over the relegation zone after a run of NINE defeats in 16 games but Mourinho was still refusing to admit his team was in a relegation battle almost halfway through the season
Chelsea remain in the Champions League with a last-16 tie against Paris Saint Germain to look forward to next Feburary.
Could Pep Guardiola, Guus Hiddink, Brendan Rodgers or Juande Ramos be in charge for that game? They have all been touted as possible succesors to be given the chance to salvage something from Chelsea's nightmare season.
Mourinho's problems were not restricted to on the pitch this season, with the Portuguese facing legal action after criticising the club's then-doctor Eva Carneiro for treating Eden Hazard during a match with Swansea last August.
Dr. Carneiro left when her role at the club was downgraded after Mourinho called her "naive" for entering the field of play to treat the Belgium international.
The former Chelsea boss also paid out a total of £90,000 in fines and served a one match stadium ban for both criticising a referee and misconduct towards a match official.
It's the second time Mourinho has left the club under a cloud. He left the club by mutual consent in 2007 after a bad string of results.
