Jose Mourinho – combustible, unpredictable, impulsive – was never built to make a quiet Chelsea exit.

Mourinho, with his gift for the dramatic, was always destined to produce a final twist when the time came to take his leave of Stamford Bridge.

But few predicted he would depart with a Premier League season still in its infancy and with his destiny of bringing the Champions League to Chelsea still unfulfilled.

The exact circumstances of Mourinho’s departure were shrouded in mystery as word leaked out in London late on Wednesday night.

But it seems inevitable that it was just one row too many with all-powerful owner Roman Abramovich, whose relationship with Mourinho has been broken and subjected to the most fragile repair in recent months.

Abramovich has grown frustrated by that missing Champions League, despite two titles, an FA Cup and two Carling Cups.

And he has been in despair at Mourinho's failure to produce the flowing, entertaining football his wielding of a vast chequebook demanded.

The sight of a half-full Stamford Bridge for the Champions League clash with Rosenborg on Tuesday may have been the last straw for Abramovich, who was bizarrely seen grinning from ear to ear when the Norwegians took the lead.

Peace had been restored after a stand-off in the latter stages of last season, but it was always a relationship on the brink and Chelsea's mixed start to the new season clearly re-opened the rifts.

Abramovich may feel one of his life's irritants has been dealt with as Mourinho texted his goodbyes, but he is now entering the most hazardous time of his Chelsea tenure.

He has lost more than a manager in Mourinho. He has lost a talisman for Chelsea's fans, as well as players such as John Terry and Frank Lampard.

Mourinho had across-the-board appeal when it came to provoking emotions.

You either liked or loathed the mischief-making Portuguese coach who did not care for the reputations of illustrious contemporaries such as Sir Alex Ferguson, Arsene Wenger and Rafael Benitez.

Mourinho even attracted more females to football with his swarthy good looks and villainous designer stubble, which only added to his image as enfant terrible of Premier League management.

Chelsea had not won the title for 50 years until Mourinho arrived but, backed by Roman Abramovich's millions, he won it at the first time of asking in 2005 and followed it up with another championship the next season.

His departure is a move that will provoke widespread despair among Chelsea's fanbase and Abramovich must be careful with his successor if he wants to heal the wounds.

One thing is certain. The Premier League, and in particular Chelsea, is very much a poorer place this morning.

Love him or hate him, and few fell in between, Mourinho has been magnificent for English football.

Forget the moments of foolishness, the arrogance, the myopic blue-tinted view of the football world – on second thoughts, remember them.

This is because they were all part of the package that made Mourinho a unique figure in our game.

Mourinho could talk big because he had the track record to back it up, and make no mistake he will be piled high with lucrative offers for his next job.

He leaves behind a legacy of success at Chelsea, marred only by two Champions League semi-final defeats to Liverpool.

Mourinho forged an unshakeable bond with his players, although his departure could be tracked back to the arrival of the most expensive star of all, namely £31m Andriy Shevchenko from AC Milan.

Suspicions lingered that this was an Abramovich indulgence as opposed to a Mourinho requirement, and the great Ukrainian striker struggled to win over his manager.

But today Chelsea face a genuine crisis because so many of their players related personally to Mourinho.

Of course players play for anyone providing they are paid well enough, but Mourinho forged a genuine bond with men like Terry, Lampard and Didier Drogba.

They will no doubt seek assurances from Abramovich, but for now they will be devastated by the loss of Mourinho.

He irritated us, frustrated us, but at the same time brought an excitement and unpredictability to the Premier League that made all the aggravation worthwhile.

Mourinho was the best manager Chelsea ever had - and time will tell whether Abramovich was right not to indulge him just a little more to keep him at Stamford Bridge.

Self-proclaimed as 'The Special One', very few supporters would disagree with Mourinho's assessment.

Goodbye Jose. You'll be sorely missed.