Special One is Back! Mourinho Interview
By dixon9
March 6 2008
Jose Mourinho gave a rare interview today and as per usual, each utterance is studied, explored and analysed by the media, particularly Chelsea supporters and football fans in general. One or two surprising elements including continued contact between the Special One and the Chelsea suits and one little, mischievous comment about what he’d like to do to Chelsea when he faces them next!
Unfortunately, the interview in full appears in Italian in the Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport and so far in the English media there are only snippets of the whole content. So when can we expect to see Mourinho charging up and down the touchline again, coat flapping in the wind?!
"I don't want to return now. At the moment I am studying, but next year - yes."Either in Italy or Spain, and afterwards I want to go back to England, and then finish my career as coach to the Portuguese national team.
"At the moment I love the pitch, playing two or three high-level matches per week. As a national coach too much depends on the the work of others.
"As for Italy or Spain? Whoever really wants me. Whoever fully believes in my project. Whoever thinks I am the ideal person. I am free; I have neither a pre-contract nor a gentleman's agreement."
Mourinho was pressed as to which Italian club he preferred - Milan, Inter, Juventus or Roma?
“They would all be fascinating challenges, but they all have impressive coaches.
"My next challenge will not only be a question of tactics. It will show that you can compete at the highest level in three competitions, like I did with Porto and Chelsea."
Although you can come second in the League, or lose the FA Cup final. Or lose the Champions League with a goal that never was, like with Liverpool. Either way it will be to the top. Whoever wants me should know that."
Upon questions on our domestic scene, Mourinho was asked about the likes of Man Utd, Liverpool and Arsenal. Apparently, he was complimentary about Arsenal but couldn’t resist a repeat of the same dig he made whilst at the helm of Chelsea:
''Arsenal are a unique side where the coach hasn't won anything for years but he's still idolised, where pressure doesn't exist. Ideal. But don't claim they grow youngsters: what they do is take jewels and polish them, it's a different thing. They have time to work in peace and to obtain results."
It’s difficult not to agree with him isn’t it? I mean, he’s right isn’t he?
Then came the comment which upset some of the more sensitive Chelsea fans among us whilst for others it was just typical, mischievous Mourinho. What about facing his old club, Chelsea?
"If I play them in the Champions League, I want to go there and kill them - that's my message," he said.
However, this was followed by a statement that he still feels close to us:
"I still feel Chelsea is a part of me, I'll have Chelsea in my heart forever,"
"I left and for five months you couldn't get a bad word from me in relation to the club and you cannot do it in the future too."
Later today though, Mourinho obviously got wind of the English media reports and rang Sky Sports to “clarify” his comments – not wanting to upset anybody:
"(I meant kill) in a good way, funny way. I told them I love them and want them to succeed, but if I play them one day... I want to win."
What was surprising was the revelation that Mourinho still speaks to Abramovich and Kenyon:
"I think it was last week that I spoke with people from the club,"
"I was speaking with Mr Abramovich and chief executive Peter Kenyon because we keep in touch.
"I was telling them I wish them always good, I wish them always to succeed, I wish them always to win."
And Mourinho said his relationship with Abramovich was good despite the apparent acrimonious manner of his departure. Good things to say on Lampard:
''Lampard is amazing. He could play till he's 40...every game of the season. He's a bit like Maldini: year after year, he's always there. A real great."
What about all this business with the England job? What did he think about Capello?
"England are my second team...I'd like to finish up as manager as Portugal. But for now I love being involved, having 2 or 3 games a week at the top level. As national coach you depend too much on other people's work. And to succeed you have to take units from a club, land job for example the Milan midfield as Donadoni has done with Italy... “
"If ever I was to be president of an FA - which will never happen - I'd bring in Capello immediately. I like him as a person as well. I'll be supporting him because England are my second team: I'm a supporter of the Premiership and the spirit with which they play football in England."
“My next challenge won't be as a tactician but to show that you can challenge at the top level in three tournaments at the same time, as I did with Porto and with Chelsea. Of course you can always come second in the league, or lose in the Cup Final. Or lose in the Champions League to a non-existent goal, as happened against Liverpool. But always at the top level. Those who want me know that."
Hardly any real bombshells in there I suppose although as I said earlier it would be nice to have the full interview.
I do miss him though!
By SHAUN CUSTIS
Published: Today
JOSE MOURINHO has opened the door for a sensational Chelsea return by admitting: “I’d love to be manager again.”
The Special One insists relations with Red Rom are friendly and they spoke last week.
The Current Bun!
Asked if he would go back, he said: “Yes, why not. I would love to do that, of course, of course.
"I was speaking to Mr Roman Abramovich and Peter Kenyon on the phone last week as we keep in touch.
“I was telling them I wished them always good things, that I wished them always to succeed and I wished them always to win.
"But we talked mostly about family and friends and our lives.
“We have friendly relations — It always was. The reality is my leaving was a mutual agreement.
"We are happy to talk to each other. One day back to Chelsea, why not?
“I still feel Chelsea is part of me. I have Chelsea in my heart forever and I wish them only good things.
“I have been gone for five months and you wouldn’t get a bad word from me.”
Blues fans would welcome back Mourinho with open arms as they have never taken to his replacement, Avram Grant.
And he played down a link to Liverpool by saying: “I wouldn’t feel very comfortable coming back and working with another club after Chelsea.”
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"It is born out of hypocrisy and fundamental insecurity. There have been two kids on the block for the past 12 years. Suddenly, there is a third and that one is threatening to be more successful than the others and they don’t like it." P Kenyon.