I won't favour the old guard at Chelsea, vows Jose Mourinho

 
James Olley10 June 2013

Jose Mourinho described himself as “the Happy One” as he was officially unveiled as Chelsea manager.

The 50-year-old returned to the Blues on a four-year contract earlier this month to begin a second spell in charge after leaving the club in September 2007 following back-to-back Premier League titles in 2005 and 2006.

Mourinho managed Inter Milan and Real Madrid before arriving in west London once more and speaking to more than 250 journalists at Stamford Bridge today, he said: “I am the Happy One. Time flies. It looks like it was a couple of days ago but it was nine years ago and since then, a lot of things happened in my professional life and I have the same nature, I am the same person, I have the same heart and the same kind of emotions related to football and the passion for my job.

“I describe myself as a very happy person. It is the first time where I arrive in the club and I already love the club.

“In football you never know but I want to believe it is possible [to be more successful than his first spell in charge]. I know many of the people who belong to the club and I know the mentality and ambition they have. My career was built on success. Every club I was in I was able to reach success, win trophies and leave different kinds of legacies. So I have to live on that. That is a normal message.”

Despite admitting in the wake of his departure nearly six years ago that his relationship with owner Roman Abramovich had broken down, Mourinho today rejected that version of events and insists they will be able to enjoy a strong working relationship.

“I read and I keep listening that I was fired, I was sacked, we had a complete break of relationships – that was not true,” he said. “Many people didn’t believe it but it was a mutual agreement. We thought at that time it was the best for both of is.

“Of course it was a sad moment but I don’t regret that decision because after that I went to Inter where I had probably the best moment of my career [winning the Treble]. After that, I went to Madrid where we have still the record of the best team in Spanish history [in La Liga].

“For Chelsea, things went well too. After that, Chelsea was for the first time Eurpo[ea champions. It was a decsion that was difficult for both of us and made by mutual agreement. Only because there was never a break in relations, that makes it possible for me to be here today. You only have a break in relations if you have real problems.

“I am here because we are here in the moment of our professional lives we here we are in the best moments of our careers. Really, to work together again and with much better conditions this time, to succeed and to have what this club wants which is stability.”

Mourinho will be reunited with a number of former players from his first period in charge including John Terry, Frank Lampard, Ashley Cole and Petr Cech but he warned there would be no room for sentimentality as he looks to reshape the squad to challenge for the title.

“Of course there are still a few boys from my time which is always good to go back and see those people who give everything to you when it was here,” he said. “But I think it is important to tell you that there is no privilege for them., They know already because they know my nature as a manager. But they don’t have an advantage with me as a manager.

“Chelsea have done well to get some great boys with a great future. I will be happy to work with them and try and improve them. After that, I think every club, especially one like us, you always have an ambition to add a couple of new players to the squad. I think the most important part of my job in this moment is to improve the players here.”

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