Former Chelsea manager Avram Grant has hit back at his predecessor Jose Mourinho after the Portuguese branded the Blues' season "very bad".

Grant took over the Stamford Bridge hot-seat six weeks into the season, with the club in fifth place and Champions League qualification in the balance.

However, he maintained a title challenge to the last day behind Manchester United and led his men to the finals of the European competition and Carling Cup, losing both - the focus of Mourinho's assessment.

"I tell you this: If Chelsea had played at the beginning of the season like they did at the end then they would definitely have been champions of England ahead of Man United," Grant responded.

"Over the last three months of the season with me working as manager, we were never called 'boring Chelsea'.

"No one expected Chelsea to win things because when I took over, the team were fifth and had just been held to a Champions League draw by Rosenborg.

"No one believed we would have finished second and reached the Champions League final in Moscow."

Grant was targeted by some supporters during the season after demonstrations against the sacking of fans' favourite Mourinho.

He was within one spot kick of winning the Champions League when captain John Terry slipped and struck the post with the last penalty of the shoot-out against Manchester United, and days later turned down the opportunity of returning to his previous post of director of football after owner Roman Abramovich told him he was no longer in charge of team affairs.

He added that he would not seek further action against his dismissal.

"I'm not suing anybody," he said. "Roman is a very good friend."

The favourites for the vacant position at the Bridge are Internazionale coach Roberto Mancini - expected to depart the Scudetto winners this week - former Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard and Blackburn manager Mark Hughes.

Russia coach Guus Hiddink is another name closely linked with the job, with Abramovich a major financial contributor to the Russian Football Association.

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