Grant poised to take over at Partizan
Reuters - Thursday 12 January 2012, 13:22
Former Chelsea manager Avram
Grant is set to take over at Serbian champions and league
leaders Partizan Belgrade, local media in the Balkan country's
capital reported on Thursday.
Daily Vecernje Novosti said on its website Partizan's board would meet by Friday to name Grant as a
replacement for Aleksandar Stanojevic, who fell out with club
president Dragan Djuric last month.
Grant steered Chelsea to the 2008 Champions League final and
was in contention for the Premier League title to the last day
of the season after taking over from Jose Mourinho at Stamford
Bridge in 2007.
Grant's contract was terminated at the end of the season
after he conceded both titles to Manchester United and after an
eight-month stint at Portsmouth, he failed to save West Ham
United from relegation last season.
Stanojevic won the Serbian league and cup double last season
and also steered Partizan to the Champions League group stage
for the first time since 2003.
Partizan headed into this season's winter break 10 points
clear at the top but Stanojevic fell out with Djuric along with
former managing director Mladen Krstajic, who was sacked on
Boxing Day after a long-term conflict with the president.
While on vacation, Stanojevic said he would resign as soon
as he returned to Belgrade but then made a U-turn, saying he
wanted to stay until the end of the season to retain the
domestic double.
The Serbian first division resumes on March 3.