José Mourinho and the potential manager merry-go-round

So after a ninth league defeat in the opening sixteen games, Chelsea today decided to pull the trigger on manager José Mourinho. Seven months after emerging unchallenged to win the league title, Mourinho has left Chelsea for the 2nd time in his career. His sacking does have an element of surprise given that not too many Chelsea fans were calling for his head. In any case the Portuguese boss is no longer in charge and leads onto the many names that will inevitably be linked with the vacancy. His sacking will also trigger a merry-go-round with managers leaving their current jobs or coming back from breaks into jobs and managers coming to the end of their current contracts etc.
So lets have a look at what could happen after this announcement.

Next Chelsea boss (short-term):
First of all lets focus on who might take over as manager at the club. Guus Hiddink is seeming like the favorite to take over until the end of the season which will, if hired be the Dutchman's 2nd spell in charge of the club. Currently he is unemployed after a disastrous spell in charge of the Dutch national side.
Former Sevilla and Tottenham manager Juande Ramos has also been mentioned as a stop gap till the end of the season. The Spaniard has experience of being a caretaker boss having overseen Real Madrid in the 2008-09 season after Bernd Schuster was sacked. Ramos is also unemployed and most recently was in charge of Ukrainian side Dnipro.
Another current out-of-work manager who also has previous experience at the club is Brendan Rodgers. The former Swansea boss was sacked as Liverpool manager in October and was previously reserve team manager at Chelsea. His teams like to play decent football but he does appear be quiet down the list.

Next Chelsea boss (long-term):
Chelsea wont get their first choice long-term replacement right away. More than likely they will get someone to take charge till the end of the season and then go after an ideal candidate to take over. The names for this are quiet long.

One such manager might very well be available next summer and that is current Bayern Munich boss Pep Guardiola. Guardiola has been with Bayern for three seasons now and the signs seem to suggest he won't be hanging around for a fourth. He will be in demand with both Manchester clubs seemingly looking for a change next summer too. His cv does speak for itself, its littered with trophies but his main goal this season will be to add the champions league to his Bayern collection.
Would Carlo Ancelotti be tempted to do what Mourinho did and return for a 2nd spell in charge? The Italian is currently without a club and was rumored last week to have been offered the Zenit St Petersburg job next summer.
Staying with Zenit, current boss André Villas-Boas will be available next summer having announced his intention of leaving the Russian champions. Would he be interested or given the chance to make right in a 2nd spell?

Another manager who is currently employed is Diego Simeone at Atlético Madrid. The change in fortunes that Atlético have undergone since Simeone took over has been miraculous. It is no wonder he would be in demand by not only Chelsea but some of the other super clubs.
Other names that have been mentioned are Frank De Boer at Ajax, Rafa Benítez currently under fire at Real Madrid,

Merry-go-round:
So should Chelsea decide to go for Guardiola as their new long-term boss that would open the Bayern Munich job, although it is looking like that job will be open regardless. To replace Guardiola the Germans might end up going for Carlo Ancelotti or even José Mourinho. Both managers free next summer and it remains and interesting prospect of Mourinho in German football, having done England, Spain, Italy and Portugal. However if they do feel like hiring from within the Bundesliga then Roger Schmidt at Leverkusen and Augsburg's Markus Weinzierl have been mentioned in the past as potential successors to Guardiola.
If the hierarchy at Chelsea decide that Diego Simeone is their man, that opens up the Atlético job and I think it won't be short of interesting candidates. The throw a few names at random that might consider it are André Villas-Boas at Zenit, Eduardo Berizzo at Celta Vigo, Roger Schmidt at Bayer Leverkusen or maybe even Paco Jémez at Rayo Vallecano. Of the A-listers maybe Ancelotti would like a return to Madrid or would Mourinho consider Atlético?
Manchester City look like they may cut Pellegrini loose their hot seat. Would the Chilean fancy a return to Spain and take up the Atlético job or even the Valencia job if Gary Neville isn't given an extension at the end of the season.
Manchester United are also looking increasingly likely in dispensing with Louis Van Gaal and the names to replace him would be similar to the next Chelsea boss. Diego Simeone, Ancelotti, Guardiola etc.
Another club that looks increasingly likely to be on the market for a new boss is Real Madrid. Rafa Benítez has come in for criticism from fans and hasn't been a popular choice as manager since he replaced Carlo Ancelotti in the summer. I doubt Mourinho will go back given he left on quiet poor terms but the job could very well go to Ancelotti again or maybe some up and coming managers such as Berizzo at Celta or Schmidt at Leverkusen to throw a few names out.
What about in Italy. Inter Milan are currently doing quiet well under Roberto Mancini but the football isn't exactly pleasing on the eye. Would they consider a change?
Roma could be looking for a new boss quiet soon if Rudi Garcia can't reverse the shattering confidence of his players after that heavy trashing by Barcelona last month. That Roma job would be Carlo Ancelotti if he fancies a return to his homeland. Or maybe the Romans will go the old route and bring Fabio Capello back?
Over in Portugal, Julen Lopetegui at Porto is under pressure after their exit from the champions league. The former European champions could very well be in the market for a new name next summer, could Mourinho make a sensational return? more than likely the club will look within Portugal for their new boss and maybe Paulo Fonseca at Braga might return to the Dragao or Pedro Martins at Rio Ave is doing quiet well.
What ever happens over the next few months is sure to be interesting. Lots of dugouts are going to open up and lots of movement between dugouts is on the cards and we could be left with some interesting appointments next summer across Europe.