Sunderland manager Sam Allardyce didn't foresee Jose Mourinho getting the sack.  During a press c...

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Carlo Campo

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<a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///epl/teams/63" href="http://www.thescore.com/epl/teams/63">Sunderland</a> manager Sam Allardyce didn't foresee Jose Mourinho getting the sack.During a press conference Thursday, Allardyce was informed <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///epl/teams/58" href="http://www.thescore.com/epl/teams/58">Chelsea</a> and Mourinho "parted company by mutual consent," resulting in a response from "Big Sam" that comes two days before his club visits the Blues.Related: <a href="http://www.thescore.com/epl/news/913100">Chelsea, manager Jose Mourinho agree to part ways by mutual consent</a><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>"I'm shocked to say the least," Allardyce said, according to <a style="line-height: 1.5em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" href="http://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/dec/17/chelsea-jose-mourinho-sacked-reaction">the Guardian</a>. "They must have somebody lined up. I'm sad to see Mourinho go before I got to know him quite well and he's a great character. He's a loss to the Premier League. Because of the underachievement at Chelsea, even a great manager like Jose has lost his job."The friendship between Allardyce and Mourinho is known for being among the strongest in the Premier League. When the former was at <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///epl/teams/65" href="http://www.thescore.com/epl/teams/65">West Ham United</a> last season and guided the Hammers to a victory over <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///epl/teams/61" href="http://www.thescore.com/epl/teams/61">Manchester City</a>, he received a text message from Mourinho, thanking him for a job "<a href="http://www.thescore.com/epl/news/614094">well done</a>."

Chelsea

Sunderland AFC

EPL Soccer

The Special One is unemployed.  Chelsea, mired in an atrocious campaign that has seen the reignin...

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Gianluca Nesci

Supervising Editor

The Special One is unemployed.<a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///epl/teams/58" href="http://www.thescore.com/epl/teams/58">Chelsea</a>, mired in an atrocious campaign that has seen the reigning Premier League champion lose nine of its 16 matches this season - which has the Blues, incredibly, just one point above the relegation zone - announced Thursday that manager Jose Mourinho has departed the club.Related: <a href="http://www.thescore.com/epl/news/913100">Chelsea, manager Jose Mourinho agree to part ways by mutual consent</a><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>The official word, through a flowery press release that waxed poetic about the enduring love and admiration the club will always have for the Portuguese bench boss, is that the two sides agreed to part ways by mutual consent.Whether that is really the way things went down at Stamford Bridge, we'll likely never know - or, at the very least, not until Mourinho releases a tell-all book about his time on the touchline in west London.<figure><iframe src="https://renderer.qmerce.com/interaction/5672de6c8161d222326fd7a2" width="100%" height="350" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></figure>We can be certain, however, that the fallout from Thursday's remarkable, if not entirely surprising decision, will be worth watching. To whom does Chelsea now turn to save its season? Where, exactly, did it all go wrong for Mourinho? And will we see the outspoken, polarizing manager on the bench at another club in the near future?Here's everything you need to know about Chelsea's decision to cut ties with Jose Mourinho:REACTION<ul>
<li><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/913161" href="http://www.thescore.com/news/913161">Twitter reacts to Chelsea sacking Jose Mourinho</a></li>
<li><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/913245" href="http://www.thescore.com/news/913245">5 people who will be most pleased with Jose Mourinho's firing</a></li>
<li><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/913400" href="http://www.thescore.com/news/913400">Allardyce shocked, saddened by Chelsea's sacking of Mourinho</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.thescore.com/epl/news/913455">Chelsea technical director: 'Palpable discord' between Mourinho, players</a></li>
</ul>LOOKING BACK<ul>
<li><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/913214" href="http://www.thescore.com/news/913214">Top 5 moments from Mourinho's 2nd stint with Chelsea </a></li>
<li><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/913190" href="http://www.thescore.com/news/913190">Tracing Mourinho's downfall over the last 7 months</a></li>
<li><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/913249" href="http://www.thescore.com/news/913249">In quotes: The soap opera that was Mourinho's time at Chelsea​</a></li>
</ul><figure><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/144926/cropped_4701122.jpg?ts=1448643015"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>WHAT NOW FOR CHELSEA?<ul>
<li><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/913090" href="http://www.thescore.com/news/913090">Report: Hiddink to take over as Chelsea boss until end of the season</a></li>
<li><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/913164" href="http://www.thescore.com/news/913164">Top 5 candidates to replace Jose Mourinho at Chelsea</a></li>
<li><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/913234" href="http://www.thescore.com/news/913234">Starting from scratch: Changes Chelsea's new boss needs to make</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.thescore.com/epl/news/913581">Report: Mourinho faces potential legal dilemma for role in Carneiro case</a></li>
</ul>WHAT NOW FOR MOURINHO?<ul><li><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/913278" href="http://www.thescore.com/news/913278">Assessing Mourinho's options after Chelsea sacking</a></li></ul>

Sam Allardyce shocked, saddened by Chelsea's sacking of Mourinho

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