The frosty reception Avram Grant has received from fans of Chelsea football club is nothing compared with the cold shoulder he's about to get from London's Jewish community.
A senior Rabbi in London has launched a blistering attack on Chelsea's new Israeli manager after learning that he is involved in the controversial religious sect Kabbalah.
According to this week's Jewish Chronicle, Grant, who took over at the west London club after Jose Mourinho's sacking last week, attended a dinner on 13 September at David Intercontinental Hotel in Tel Aviv, which was organised by the Tel Aviv Kabbalah Centre. Kabbalah's most famous exponent, Madonna, above, was also present.
"This is an example of yet more high-profile people suckered into this nonsensical cult parting with hard-earned cash in the misguided belief that it will buy them some paradise," says Rabbi Yitzchak Schochet of the Mill House synagogue.
"What next? Roman Abramovich signing a 10-year deal with the Kabbalah Centre for their logo on the team shirts?"
"When Chelsea do sink, they'll tell him, 'its bad energy – you need to use Kabbalah water in the locker-room showers'."
No one from Chelsea football club was available to comment on the matter yesterday as all the staff were apparently too busy in Hull preparing for the game last night.
Adds Schochet: "Frankly, Mr Grant would do better giving the money to Manchester United."
