Former Chelsea CEO Kenyon was interviewed by the Telegraph and recalled the situation when Mourinho said goodbye to the Blues for the first time.
Mourinho ended his third season in coaching Chelsea with a double League Cup and FA Cup, and Afram Grant's takeover as a club director led to an early end to Mourinho's first Blues career. Kenyon admitted: "Grant's joining is indeed a problem, it's a mistake. Mourinho used to make him, me and Abu a 'holy trio', and we could sit down and discuss it, and then get things done. Everyone knew their position very well, but when a third party was introduced, the balance was broken, which exacerbated the gap between Mourinho and Abu, and given his character, the situation ultimately made everyone more and more uncomfortable."
"Everything happened very quickly. We were going to go to the Chelsea documentary premiere together and had already agreed to gather at the back of Stamford Bridge. I arrived very early, and Mourinho came over and said to me directly, 'Can I not go?' I said, 'It's mandatory, everyone has to go.' He said, 'No, I mean, I'm leaving the club.'"
"We talked for a while, and obviously he wanted to leave. I also knew what the other party was thinking, and Abu wanted him to leave, and we had already reached that point. So I said to him, 'Go to the premiere first, and then come back.' He did, and when he came back I said to him, 'Everything has been resolved, this is the agreement.' We dealt with it according to the terms previously agreed, and the problem in this area was resolved soon."
The next morning, Kenyon announced Mourinho's departure to the whole Chelsea team: "That was one of the hardest speeches I've ever experienced. First, I want to tell the players that Mourinho has left, and secondly, Grant will take over the team. I've never seen so many stars turn so pale at the same time, they are so shocked that they can't speak, there are two people who even cried, you can't think they will cry, it feels like We poked a balloon. "
"This incident did cause trouble for the team for a while, but the team did not stop moving forward. They continued to work hard and eventually reached the Champions League final. It was because of the team's efforts, not because of Grant. It's not that I don't respect him, but it's the fact. I'm very sure that if Mourinho was still there, we would win the 2008 Champions League final. "
Mourinho coached Chelsea twice and won three Premier League, one FA Cup and three League Cups. Although he didn't win the Champions League, Kenyon still attributed the credit for winning the Champions League: "When we appointed Mourinho, our real goal was to be the best club in Europe. I can tell you clearly that although Mourinho didn't lead the team to win the Champions League, he won the Champions League for Chelsea It was him who established the foundation for Chelsea’s next 20 years, and even after he left, the success he had taken Chelsea was equally important. He shaped the team’s culture, and if he didn’t leave the year we reached the Champions League final, I believe we would win the Champions League with him, and I have no doubt about that. ”
"If Abu left the restaurant on the day Mourinho was late and appointed someone else to coach, then I’m not sure if this culture would be established, and we will win the trophy longer, and Mourinho is Chelsea’s most valuable investment. I think I’ve worked with two of the best coaches, one is Ferguson and the other is Mourinho, who are very different in style, but both are the best. Mourinho has also achieved some extraordinary achievements after leaving Chelsea, and to me he is still one of the best coaches."