Jose Mourinho wasn’t successful in leading Chelsea to Champions League supremacy, although he always looked like he would be, and now it seems that he’ll never have the chance.

The Portuguese coach, who twice led the Londoners to Premiership glory, announced he will leave the team he turned into a European powerhouse with the financial help of Russian owner Roman Abramovici.

"Chelsea Football Club and Jose Mourinho have agreed to part company today by mutual consent," Chelsea FC said early Thursday on its Web site.

Mourinho has reportedly text messaged five leading players on Wednesday night to tell them that he was leaving the London football club after they had a bad start in the Champions League opener as they drew 1-1 with Norwegian side Rosenborg in the group opener on Tuesday.

This frustrating draw came after other disappointing results in the domestic season against both Aston Villa and Blackburn, which increased last year’s disagreement between Mourinho and Abramovici, although the dispute was believed to be behind the two. But when you have names like Andriy Shevchenko, Michael Ballack and Didier Drogba on your team and you don’t deliver big the guy who bought them can fire you at your birthday party.

The self-entitled “Special One” still three years left of his £6.5m (US$13 million) a year contract, but Abramovici seems to be ready to pay the parting amount in order to end their relationship.

Mourinho came to Chelsea after delivering the surprise of the Champions League when he won the title with underdogs FC Porto and the Londoners plus on Russian in particular had high expectations from the Portuguese. He delivered with two English Premier League titles, an FA Cup and two League Cups in three seasons, but he didn’t manage to get to Blues to European supremacy as well and that cost him as it caused friction between him and tycoon owner Roman Abramovich.

More exactly, the problems started whit some weeks to go in the past season as Chelsea already had won the League Cup and were in the cards to win an unprecedented four major trophies. But Mancester United made no error and won the league title, and Liverpool ousted Chelsea from the semifinals of the Champions League for the second time in three years.

This season, Chelsea ranks fifth in the Premiership with 11 points from six matches, behind both Liverpool and Man United on goal difference. Arsenal leads the league with 13 points, one more than Manchester City.

Although he irritated many coaches, fans and players, Mourinho also brought excitement and unpredictability to the Premier League. Probably most of those who are glad he’s going will soon realize there’s something missing from the mix that makes the Premiership and the Champions League such exciting competitions.

Jose Mourinho was certainly the best manager to lead Chelsea. That’s a fact. Only time will tell whether Abramovich was right not to let him do his job and pull out from the temporary slump the Blues were in.