Remember the TV show 'The Contender'? Where a collection of wannabe boxers all slug it out over the course of a few weeks to find out who will get a professional contract?

Well there's a similar situation unfurling at Stamford Bridge after the sacking of Luiz Felipe Scolari. Perhaps Roman Abramovich should just gather his shortlist, hand out the gloves and come back in a few hours to see who's left standing.

The papers have gone crazy with speculation over who is the first man on the Blues' shortlist and leave it to the Sun to mess up all the Beckham-to-Milan talk by claiming that AC boss Carlo Ancelotti is top dog.

Experienced, good with the top names and with a record that has already brought Champions League success, Carlo is the favourite, but maybe not until the summer.

The Times meanwhile have Frank Rijkaard and Roberto Mancini in each corner, ready to knock each other out in a bid to grab Roman's attention. Rijkaard has already said he would be keen to ''consider'' the position, but then both of them are out of work so it's hardly a surprise.

The best man for job? Pound for pound the best in the world? Probably Guus Hiddink, say the Daily Mail, but then he's far more interested in his job with Russia and quite keen to help them to a certain 2010 event in South Africa. His links with the Russian owner certainly put him in the frame, and he might just take over for a few months while still keeping his international job.

The long shot? Jose Mourinho. Happy at Inter, but it wouldn't be a paper round-up without some spurious gossip-mongering now would it? He'll probably return, Rocky-like, to Chelsea when he's 84 and win the league again with a team of robots. All while wearing his trademark Armani raincoat of course.

In other sacking related news, who can take over the reigns from poor old Tony Adams at Portsmouth? Not quite the plethora of top names linked with the Chelsea job, but look who it is, an old name raises it's balding head - Sven-Goran Eriksson, say the Telegraph. He's apparently a bit bored with turning Mexico into a second rate side and now rather fancies having a good go at Portsmouth - although Adams was doing a pretty good job himself in that respect.

But the man at the centre of everything? Links to both clubs? And a possible contender for both? Don't say his name three times, it's Avraaaaaam Grant.

The man who has 'something of the night' about him, evidently has something else about him as the Independent have Portsmouth and Chelsea scrapping over his services. Out of work and having priced himself out of a move to the Bulgarian national team [oh well], Avram might just be the man to save someone. But you can guess which end of the table he'd prefer to be at.

Chelsea are expected to announce a decision on their new boss in the next 24 hours, which should give the papers just enough time to find a few more possible candidates. Gianfranco Zola? Roberto Di Matteo? Claudio Ranieiri? Cheer up Blues’ fans, at least Dennis Wise hasn’t been linked yet..