Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer

Image source, Gett

"Pep Guardiola has always been the dream appointment for Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich but he looks destined for Manchester City if, as expected he leaves Bayern Munich. 

"Carlo Ancelotti is then a likely target for the Bundesliga champions so expect the name of Atletico Madrid's Diego Simeone to figure in discussions."

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer

Image source, Getty Images

"No. Chelsea's players must examine themselves closely.

"Eden Hazard and Diego Costa, the driving forces behind that title win, have been virtually non-existent and their relationship with the manager has been called into question. 

"Costa threw a bib at Mourinho when he was an unused sub at Spurs while Hazard appeared to substitute himself early in that final loss at Leicester City."

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer

Image source, Getty Images

"The oldest reason of all. Nine losses in 16 games was a decline even Mourinho could not survive - not even with the credit in the bank from last season's Premier League title.

"Chelsea's season has been chaotic from day one, when Mourinho's row with team doctor Eva Carneiro that led to her removal provided the backdrop of the rest of his stay at Stamford Bridge. The 3-0 loss at Manchester City exposed the on-field flaws and Chelsea and Mourinho have simply not recovered."    

So why have today's events unfolded? We have asked BBC Sport's chief football writer Phil McNulty for his thoughts, and this is what he has said...

Ah, nothing like a backtracking tweet from a famous football fan.

Golf superstar Rory McIlroy, who is of course a Manchester United fan, tweeted #TaxiForJose on 31 October, following Chelsea's 3-1 loss to Liverpool at Stamford Bridge.

Well McIlroy is clearly not as happy as he was with United boss Louis van Gaal as this is his tweet today...

Image source, Rory McIlroy

We asked who is next, well it is already decided, according to Wikipedia. They have gone a bit early in appointing Guus Hiddink as Jose Mourinho's replacement. 

He of course managed the club on an interim basis and won the FA Cup in 2009.

This is what it says on his Wikipedia page.

Image source, Wikipedia

Image source, Getty Images

Bayern Munich boss Pep Guardiola, ex-Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers, Juande Ramos, who was once at Tottenham, and former boss Guus Hiddink have all been touted as possible successors to Jose Mourinho.

A sad day for some, got to feel for them... :-(

famakin olawole‏: Wow I feel so sad, Jose sacked as Chelsea boss, you are still the special one Jose!!!!

James Shanley:#Mourinho, external deserved better, players have forced him to go, proving beyond all doubt they rule clubs. Im sad for football

Lucy Ferman: Sad but increasingly inevitable so right call. Lost love for him over #EvaCaneiro, external incident. Can we have her back now?

Image source, Getty Images

Two spells in charge. Three Premier League titles. One FA Cup. Three League Cups. One Community Shield. 

Thanks for the memories, Jose.

In what turned out to be his final Chelsea interview, an "ashamed" Jose Mourinho said his Chelsea side have "no chance" of finishing in the Premier League top four after losing 2-1 to Leicester at King Power Stadium.  

Watch the interview here

Funny how football works...

Leicester boss Claudio Ranieri was sacked by Chelsea in 2004 and Jose Mourinho was brought in to replace him.

Eleven years later, it's a defeat against Ranieri's Leicester that ends up costing Mourinho his job.

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Getty Images

Chelsea managers past and present are in the dug outs as the Blues slump to yet another defeat at Leicester. Claudio Ranieri, who was sacked by the Blues in 2004, shakes hands with Jose Mourinho at the end of Leicester's 2-1 win...and Mourinho disappears down the tunnel for the last time.

Chelsea sink to their eighth defeat in 15 games as Bournemouth become the first promoted side to beat the Blues at home since Charlton in April 2001.

"There is no chance that Chelsea will be fighting relegation," says Mourinho as his side are left three points above the bottom three.

Image source, Getty Images

Keep sending your reaction to #bbcsportsday. Here is what some of you have been saying:

Martin McHugh‏: Bad managing should get the sack, but also players with mega salaries not giving 100% every match also the sack!

Michael Ward: Mourinho, fair weather coach. Can't accept blame when it goes wrong, quickly leads to resentment and division.

D.Tee: Mourinho's sacking. A case of player power?

More quotes from former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry. "Carlo Ancelotti would have been a great fit and a great choice so I don't know where they go from here," Henry tells Sky Sports.

"You have to be careful who is available and who will come. Is it going to be a manager who is coming in the short term or long term? You need to bring in someone who can bring back the desire and commitment to win games. Chelsea have some of the greatest players in the league.

"You can't sack the players so go for the manager. I am now thinking if I am going into the right profession? You have to have sympathy for Jose Mourinho. He put Chelsea on the map - you can take that away from him."

Former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry, speaking on Sky Sports, says: "They needed a change to spark a reaction, but they have sacked the best manager in their history and the best manager in the game.

"The players should be held accountable. You cannot sack all the players so sack the manager - whether right or wrong.

"What happened in some of the games is not all down to Mourinho. There was a lack of desire and commitment.

"I kept saying Chelsea will turn it around but they didn't. I don't know if he would have turned it around but you have to be careful what you wish for. It's a sad day if you are a Chelsea fan. The media are losing a great character and hopefully he can bounce back."

Image source, AFP

Chelsea secure a point in a 0-0 draw at Tottenham but a lack of harmony between Jose Mourinho and striker Diego Costa is evident.

Costa is left out of the side and petulantly threw his bib towards his Portuguese manager after failing to be sent on as a substitute.

"If he wants to hurt me it would not be with a bib. I have a good relationship with him," says Mourinho afterwards.

BBC News Channel

Former Chelsea striker Chris Sutton, speaking on the BBC News channel, says: "The writing was on the wall after his interview on Monday night. He certainly hasn’t covered himself in glory this season with his behaviour.

"Previously he was perceived as intelligent, charming and witty but some of his antics this season he has really let himself down.

"There were cracks appearing when he subbed Matic and had a dressing down with Hazard. He clearly had lost the players earlier in the season. Performance wise, he must have seen things weren’t getting any better. You can’t doubt Mourinho’s coaching credentials but he has clearly lost the dressing room."