Jurgen the German
Erik Thorstvedt
Thats the thing though, we aren't to know what he has said to them. He could well have said long term because of your age you aren't in my plans after this season and then all the crap could have started leaving him little option but to try and call the shots.
As he was at the club from 2004-2007, I would think he knows just how much power that trio hold and probably thought the only way he could be successful and make it "his" team was to have a clean sweep from previous regimes, especially the Mourinho one and I fully understand that.
The Alex issue was a strange one I admit, especially with the problems they have had in central defence thus far but it could just be he doesn't rate him. Anelka, he had a year left, probably got a bit miffed over not getting another contract and could well have escalated dressing room issues had he stayed.
I think it would be a joke if Abramovich sacked him less than a year after putting him in charge. He deserves a chance bring in some of his own players and to get rid of the older players, plus the ones who are not good enough...... ahem David Luiz, Bosingwa. What would be the point of paying 15 million or whatever he paid to get him, then sack him less than a year later?