New Portsmouth coach Avram Grant believes that he was responsible for Chelsea’s revival following the acrimonious departure of former coach Jose Mourinho from Stamford Bridge 2007.

Grant was appointed Chelsea coach in September 2007 after 'The Special One' left the club ‘through mutual consent’ having fallen out with owner Roman Abramovich.

Having inherited a somewhat discontented dressing room, the Israeli coach guided Chelsea to their first ever UEFA Champions League against Manchester United in Moscow in 2008, but couldn't quite steer them to victory and John Terry's penalty miss cost them the much coveted trophy.

The Blues ultimately ended the season potless and Grant was dismissed as coach, however, having returned to the top flight now with rock-bottom Portsmouth, the 54-year-old insists that he turned around the clubs fortunes in its time of need.

"I cannot be happy when I have left a club after I did a good job. If John had scored the penalty we would have won the European Cup," he told a press conference.

"I am proud of what I achieved at Chelsea.

"I was asked to take over because the club were on their way down, they were sixth in the league, had drawn with Rosenberg in the Champions League and had never been to the Champions League final.

“The atmosphere in the dressing room was very down and it was my job to take the team back to the top – I think I did a good job.

“I am not a man to live in the past and there were so many positive things that happened while I was at Chelsea," he added.

Portsmouth host Manchester United at Fratton Park on Saturday with Grant hoping to start his tenure at Pompey with a bang.

And United coach Sir Alex Ferguson was full of praise for a man he now considers a friend. Fergie revealed the pair have maintained contact since Grant's axe from The Blues.

"Getting to the European Cup final was an achievement and he was a penalty kick away from winning it and came second in the league," he said.

"He's kept in touch with me quite a lot, he's a football man. He'll be glad to get back [but] when your team's bottom of the league, you've got a task. Hopefully he can manage that."