Grant positive despite Utd misery

MANCHESTER – Avram Grant, Chelsea’s new manager, insists he is confident he will prove a successful replacement for Jose Mourinho despite a debut defeat against Manchester United.

Two controversial goals – from Carlos Tevez and a Louis Saha penalty – coupled with the first half dismissal of John Obi Mikel saw Grant’s first game end in misery at Old Trafford on Sunday. But Grant shrugged off that catalogue of disasters and declared himself happy with his players’ efforts, claiming it was evidence there is a united dressing room over his appointment.”Except for the first five minutes, we played well in this game,” said the Israeli.”I am very proud of how the players have behaved the last three days.It has not been ideal for them or for me.We have had to adapt very quickly but they behaved professionally and gave me very good support.”Grant also clearly has a task ahead of him to win over Chelsea supporters who sang Mourinho’s name and unfurled a banner bearing his name, although Grant insisted: “It was very easy for me today.”I like the attachment of the supporters with the coach, for Jose who was before me.He did good things here.They remember that and it shows our supporters are very good supporters.For me, I have only been here three days so they have no songs for me yet.Maybe after two years they will!” Despite the uncertainty surrounding Grant’s future, Chelsea have confirmed they have no concerns that he will be prevented from taking the post on a long-term basis because he does not own the necessary coaching qualifications, the Uefa Pro Licence.Under Premier League rules, Grant has a 12-week grace period and the club are understood to have applied for special dispensation because of Grant’s experience and seniority and the fact that Israel, where he has spent most of his coaching career, does not have the equivalent licence.Grant said: “I don’t see any problem.It is a process, an arrangement which we are going into now.”Referee Mike Dean showed Obi Mikel a harsh red card in the 31st minute for a lunge on Patrice Evra then played 30 seconds over the additional two minutes shown at the end of the first half to allow Tevez’s opening goal.Then, with two minutes left in the contest, he awarded Saha a spot kick even though TV replays showed no contact from Chelsea defender Tal Ben-Haim.”The referee tried his best but he made three mistakes,” said Grant.”One was a red card, one was a goal after time and one was the penalty.Besides that, he was good.”Alex Ferguson can be very happy with the referee, he can be more than happy.Those three decisions were strange.If it was one, okay, but one, two, three? For me, it’s a little bit strange but now I prefer to look to the future.”Chelsea also confirmed that they have lodged an appeal over Obi Mikel’s dismissal although Ferguson was more concerned with the red card that Dean did not show, expressing his outrage with a cynical foul by Joe Cole on Cristiano Ronaldo that was only punished with a yellow card.”When you see Joe Cole’s tackle on Ronaldo, that should have been a straight red,” said Ferguson.”It’s the kind of tackle that puts players out of the game, a kick from behind right on his Achilles, which is the sort of thing he’s getting time and time again.”He got a yellow card simply because he had sent a player off in the first half.I think it was a balancing out by the referee.”I thought we should have had a clear penalty kick in the first half but then the game changed with the sending off.”That was harsh and the second penalty kick seemed a bit harsh but in games like this, referees make quick decisions and can get it wrong.”Nampa-AFPBut Grant shrugged off that catalogue of disasters and declared himself happy with his players’ efforts, claiming it was evidence there is a united dressing room over his appointment.”Except for the first five minutes, we played well in this game,” said the Israeli.”I am very proud of how the players have behaved the last three days.It has not been ideal for them or for me.We have had to adapt very quickly but they behaved professionally and gave me very good support.”Grant also clearly has a task ahead of him to win over Chelsea supporters who sang Mourinho’s name and unfurled a banner bearing his name, although Grant insisted: “It was very easy for me today.”I like the attachment of the supporters with the coach, for Jose who was before me.He did good things here.They remember that and it shows our supporters are very good supporters.For me, I have only been here three days so they have no songs for me yet.Maybe after two years they will!” Despite the uncertainty surrounding Grant’s future, Chelsea have confirmed they have no concerns that he will be prevented from taking the post on a long-term basis because he does not own the necessary coaching qualifications, the Uefa Pro Licence.Under Premier League rules, Grant has a 12-week grace period and the club are understood to have applied for special dispensation because of Grant’s experience and seniority and the fact that Israel, where he has spent most of his coaching career, does not have the equivalent licence.Grant said: “I don’t see any problem.It is a process, an arrangement which we are going into now.”Referee Mike Dean showed Obi Mikel a harsh red card in the 31st minute for a lunge on Patrice Evra then played 30 seconds over the additional two minutes shown at the end of the first half to allow Tevez’s opening goal.Then, with two minutes left in the contest, he awarded Saha a spot kick even though TV replays showed no contact from Chelsea defender Tal Ben-Haim.”The referee tried his best but he made three mistakes,” said Grant.”One was a red card, one was a goal after time and one was the penalty.Besides that, he was good.”Alex Ferguson can be very happy with the referee, he can be more than happy.Those three decisions were strange.If it was one, okay, but one, two, three? For me, it’s a little bit strange but now I prefer to look to the future.”Chelsea also confirmed that they have lodged an appeal over Obi Mikel’s dismissal although Ferguson was more concerned with the red card that Dean did not show, expressing his outrage with a cynical foul by Joe Cole on Cristiano Ronaldo that was only punished with a yellow card.”When you see Joe Cole’s tackle on Ronaldo, that should have been a straight red,” said Ferguson.”It’s the kind of tackle that puts players out of the game, a kick from behind right on his Achilles, which is the sort of thing he’s getting time and time again.”He got a yellow card simply because he had sent a player off in the first half.I think it was a balancing out by the referee.”I thought we should have had a clear penalty kick in the first half but then the game changed with the sending off.”That was harsh and the second penalty kick seemed a bit harsh but in games like this, referees make quick decisions and can get it wrong.”Nampa-AFP