Jose Mourinho sacked: Players could be in fans' firing line but former Chelsea manager caused his own downfall

The intensity of his approach ground the players down

The majority of Chelsea supporters backed Mourinho to the very end (Getty )

Jose Mourinho’s sacking underlined who really runs football clubs these days. The cult of the manager may dominate media coverage, but the players and the owner hold the power. As for the fans, they are just a backdrop now. Mourinho is the fifth Premier League manager to leave his post this season and none of them, not even Brendan Rodgers, did so as a result of fan power.

The majority of Chelsea supporters backed Mourinho to the very end. Many are angered by his departure and would like to show their displeasure at Stamford Bridge today. But how?

Since Roman Abramovich has transformed Chelsea from an under-achieving club on the brink of bankruptcy and living off past glories to a force in world football, it is not easy to blame the owner. Some would like to, but most recognise that if they drive Abramovich away the club will decline and the shiny new stadium never be more than a set of artist’s drawings.

So it is the players who are in the firing line at home to Sunderland today. Many Chelsea fans pointed out yesterday they are not playing for the manager, they are playing for the club, for the shirt, the fans and the owner. They may not like the manager, but he is not paying their wages, nor travelling the country to cheer them on.

However, as many people in all walks of employment know, it is hard to produce your best work when the relationship with the boss has broken down to the extent that it had at Chelsea. This especially applies in an environment in which a small drop in work-rate makes a significant difference in performance – certainly enough to render irrelevant Chelsea’s technical superiority over most domestic opposition.

Outside the club the person most likely to be disappointed at the timing of Mourinho’s dismissal is Sam Allardyce, Sunderland’s manager. It is highly likely Chelsea will today play with freedom and rediscover something of their best form. If they do, some will accuse them of cheating the club these last few months, but that is to fail to recognise the difference confidence can make to a sportsman, even an elite one. Modern players are financially secure but emotionally fragile compared to previous generations – constantly berating them is more likely to damage than improve them.

The players have performed poorly, but Mourinho bears much of the responsibility for that. The intensity of his management and refusal to rest players has ground them down mentally and physically. His past success meant, ironically, that he lacked the experience to arrest a slide. Some Chelsea fans will be ambivalent at kick-off, but if the players deliver – and they will, if not today, then soon enough – they will be cheering them on again.