Last update - 00:00 08/07/2007
Former Israel coach Grant joins Chelsea FC as director of soccer
By Uzi Dann, Moshe Boker Haaretz Correspondents and The Associated Press
Chelsea Football Club announced Sunday that former Israel national team coach Avraham Grant has joined its coaching team as soccer director.
The Blues said Grant will be responsible for liaison on all soccer issues relating to the club, and will report to chief executive Peter Kenyon.
The move is no threat to manager Jose Mourinho and Chelsea said Grant's experience and knowledge will play an important role in the formulation of overall soccer policy at the club with Kenyon, Mourinho and Frank Arnesen, who is director of youth development and scouting.
Grant will join the club for the preseason tour to Los Angeles which starts Monday.
A senior reporter at the British newspaper The Sun wrote last month on hearing a report of the move: "We are also aware that as national team coach he produced good results, but his appointment is not a soccer appointment."
"Grant is not going to Chelsea because of his achievements at Portsmouth. It is about politics and control. Mr. Grant is a friend of Roman Abramovich, Chelsea's owner, and also of [player agent] Pini Zahavi. He is being appointed to be the boss' man on the sidelines," the reporter added.