Champions League not enough for Mourinho

14 April 2012

Before Jose Mourinho was offered the opportunity to respond to the rumours yesterday, the word circulating around Chelsea suggested there could be a downside to winning the Champions League this season.

Mourinho — those who claim to be in the know have whispered — will resign as Chelsea manager the moment he lifts the European Cup, citing two reasons in particular for wishing to move on.

Firstly, the feeling that he will never receive the recognition he deserves while Roman Abramovich is bankrolling the club and, secondly, his desire for a fresh challenge — to win European and domestic honours in yet another country after doing so in Portugal and England.

Well, he blew that theory to bits during the Press conference which acted as a curtain raiser to another Champions League campaign and tonight's game against Werder Bremen.

"No," he said. "Not correct. I made a mistake in Porto in that I left straight after winning the European Cup.

"I should have stayed to win the Intercontinental Cup (now known as the FIFA Club World Cup) but I left and another coach was given the opportunity to do that. If I win the European Cup again one day I want to win the Intercontinental Cup as well."

That would mean remaining in London until the following December and all but guaranteeing Chelsea at least another season with the Special One.

Mourinho thinks it could be longer, given how difficult a challenge Chelsea face again this season.

Andriy Shevchenko, Michael Ballack, Ashley Cole and Khalid Boulahrouz, as well as two hugely-gifted youngsters in Salomon Kalou and Mikel John Obi, arrived in the summer. But Chelsea, insisted Mourinho, are "one of 10 favourites".

"This idea that Chelsea should be favourites because of the players we have bought is wrong," he said. "Barcelona are the champions and have bought Eidur Gudjohnsen and Gianluca Zambrotta.

Real Madrid have bought five or six top players, including Emerson, Fabio Cannavaro and Ruud van Nistelrooy. Valencia have bought top players. Arsenal have a lot of good quality players. Manchester United are a big team and Liverpool have bought more players than Chelsea.

"Inter Milan. Don't speak about it but in terms of numbers and quality they have the best squad in the world. We have 19 players and a lot of them are kids. They have a squad that is ready for today.

"Then you have clubs like Lyon. None of them is here for fun. The only problem is that we are the ones who say we want to win it. They prefer to sit quietly in the corner with no pressure. We get 'we have to win it, we have to win it'. I can live with that pressure. I'm not saying I like it but I can live with it.

"If we finish third in the group and go into the UEFA Cup, I would rate us as favourites to win that."

Poor old Mourinho is having to put up with a lot these days, it seems. There is the UEFA seedings system that keeps giving Chelsea a difficult draw and the nuisance of international football.

It has, he said, prevented him from working with Frank Lampard and Ballack as they endeavour to form a successful midfield partnership. Lampard, it is worth mentioning here, has been told he can continue to take the penalties, despite missing one against Charlton last weekend.

Mourinho said: "I'm happy with Frank Lampard and Michael Ballack, but I'm not happy because I have not had time to help them. They need me to give them something, but I am not giving them a lot. I would like to work on their dynamic and their movement but they have both been away."

And the seedings? "I would like to be a top seed at Chelsea one day," he said. "That would give us an easier draw. In the last three years we have been drawn against the defending champions in the first round. We had Porto, then Liverpool and now Barcelona.

"That means more competitive games and the danger of getting cards that could lead to suspensions in the knock-out stages."

Given the problems Werder Bremen are experiencing, Chelsea are certainly favourites to win this evening's contest.

Bremen finished runners-up to Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga last season but they arrive in London with serious concerns about at least three major players.

Miroslav Klose won the golden boot at this year's World Cup but he is struggling with a thigh injury, while defender Per Mertesacker is also injured and goalkeeper Tim Wiese has been ruled out with bronchitis.

However, Diego, a 20-year-old Brazilian who has been likened to Pele and Deco and is said to lead the attack "better than Zico", is fit.

Add to that the fact that Thomas Schaaf's team also lost to third division Pirmasens in the German Cup on Saturday and all would not appear well.

That said, concerns remain about Chelsea as they embark on another Champions League adventure that should represent Ashley Cole's first start and Joe Cole's return.

Mourinho has bought well but the departure of William Gallas and Robert Huth does leave him short of cover in central defence.

If Mourinho is going to be given the chance to win the Club World Cup, he will need luck as well as a more favourable draw and more time with his players.

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