Henk Ten Cate’s sacking by Chelsea won’t make the headlines that greeted the departures of Jose Mourinho and Avram Grant, but it could be significant in Spain as well as in England.

Ten Cate, the 53-year-old Dutchman, was little known in Barcelona when he was appointed as Frank Rijkaard’s assistant in 2003. He soon won a reputation as a hard taskmaster in training and a disciplinarian when it came to man management. He was also praised as a clever tactician but he was content to keep a low profile in the media.

When he left to take over at Ajax in 2006, after the Champions League final win over Arsenal, a few columnists noted how Barcelona would miss him, but it’s fair to say his exit was hardly mourned by the public.

They certainly miss him now.

There’s an article on the El Mundo Deportivo website this mourning noting his departure from Chelsea and just about every comment says the same thing — Please, please, please can he come back to Barcelona.

It’s not hard to see why the fans are aching for his return. In the two years since he’s been gone Barcelona have become a shambles. Senior players like Samuel Eto’o came out to criticise the coach and Ronaldinho appeared to lose all motivation as the club’s internal discipline went to pot. It’s hard to see Ten Cate tolerating all that.  

The question now is whether Barcelona’s new coach Pep Guardiola will want him at his side, and if so, whether Barcelona will be able to persuade him back. If they can, Chelsea’s decision to sack him might turn out be the best news Barca have heard in two years.

As for Chelsea, I wonder if this makes it more or less likely that Rijkaard will be their new coach. What do you reckon?

PHOTO: Ten Cate holds up the European Cup during Barcelona’s Champions League celebrations, May 18, 2006. REUTERS/Gustau Nacarino