FACTBOX - Former Portsmouth manager Avram Grant

Published Fri, May 21 10 06:46 AM

Factbox on Avram Grant who resigned as manager of Portsmouth on Thursday.

Born: May 6 1955, in Petah Tikva, Israel

COACHING CAREER

* After a promising career as a coach with his home club Hapoel Petah Tikva in the 1970s and '80s, Grant is earmarked for bigger things with Israel's major clubs. Coaches Maccabi Tel Aviv twice (1991-95 and 1996-2000) and Maccabi Haifa (2000-2002) with whom he won league and Cup titles.

* Appointed Israel coach in 2002 after the resignation of Dane Richard Moeller Nielsen, a position he holds until 2006. Israel just miss a playoff spot for the 2006 World Cup finals, finishing unbeaten in a group behind France and Switzerland.

* Grant befriends Chelsea's Russian owner Roman Abramovich during meetings in Tel Aviv in 2006 when he is expected to take up the role of coach of Hapoel Tel Aviv, which is designated to become a feeder club for Chelsea. The deal by Abramovich's friend Levi Leviev to buy Hapoel falls through and Grant moves to England.

* Appointed technical director of Portsmouth in June 2006.

CHELSEA MOVE

* Leaves Portsmouth to take up the position of director of football at Chelsea. Takes charge of Chelsea's first team in September 2007 alongside Steve Clarke, replacing Jose Mourinho.

* Leads Chelsea to League Cup final where his tactics are criticised by the British media after a 2-1 defeat by Tottenham Hotspur following extra time on Feb. 24, 2008.

* Chelsea lose out on the Premier League title to United on the last day of the league season.

* Chelsea then suffer a 6-5 defeat on penalties to Manchester United in the Champions League final in Moscow on May 21, 2008 after the game finished 1-1 after extra time.

* His tenure as Chelsea boss ends on May 24, 2008

PORTSMOUTH RETURN

* Grant returns to Portsmouth on Oct. 7, 2009 as director of football and is confirmed as manager on Nov. 26 following the departure of Paul Hart.

* The debt-laden south coast club go into administration in February and have nine points deducted, leading to their eventual relegation from the Premier League.

* Despite their financial difficulties, Grant oversees a remarkable FA Cup run that culminates in a 1-0 final defeat to his former club Chelsea at Wembley Stadium on May 15.

* Grant resigns as Portsmouth manager on May 20 and signs off with an open letter to the fans, thanking them for their support.

Source: Web Search