Jose Mourinho pays respects ahead of his return 'home'

[Mod]

I thought I'd put this in here and keep the match thread for the game (as opposed to all the Jose talk).

A good write up by the telegraph..

Chelsea v Inter Milan: Jose Mourinho pays respects ahead of his return 'home'

Jose Mourinho felt so “at home” at Stamford Bridge on Monday that he instinctively went straight to the Chelsea employee who keeps secret stashes of the Special One’s beloved custard creams all around the Bridge. Mourinho stocked up on his favourite biscuit, even slipping some in his pocket for later.

( Friends reunited: Inter Milan manager Jose Mourinho embraces Chelsea employee Brian Pullman on his return to Stamford Bridge Photo: AP)

Duly fortified, the former Chelsea manager took time out before training to deliver a lengthy, rather moving homily to the club he clearly still holds very dear, only once offering a disparaging comment. Reflecting on how his path and Chelsea’s have diverged since he was dismissed in 2007, Mourinho said: “I keep winning important things. They keep winning something. They won an FA Cup.’’ Otherwise respect reigned. The special relationship remained intact.

“The most important thing is the relation we have,’’ said the Inter Milan coach, holding court in the Centenary Club at the Bridge in advance of Tuesday night’s Champions League last 16 second leg tie, in which the Italians have a 2-1 advantage. “No regrets, no big problems. Just respect. Coming back to an ex-club it is important to feel like I feel. It’s one of the most beautiful things in football. They move on, I move on.’’

Some things don’t change. Sitting near the club museum, which he helped fill with silverware during his eventful stay from 2004 to 2007, Mourinho passed a wall dedicated to the Special One. Whatever happens this evening, his title would remain.

“After the game I will be the Special One. Win or lose. Of course. I think I will be... how old is [Giovanni] Trappatoni? I will be 70 years old because I want to coach as long as him, but even at that age I will still have things to prove. That’s my motivation.’’

Mourinho enjoyed the gentle jousting, smiling at the mention that the last time he talked to reporters at the Bridge he compared the top managers to Michelin-starred chefs with their ability to make the best omelettes out of eggs.

Asked whether he felt Chelsea “let the best chef go’’, Mourinho laughed. He pointed out that Chelsea have a “good chef’’, and he was not simply referring to Marco Pierre White, who owns a restaurant down the corridor. Mourinho was talking about Carlo Ancelotti. “He is a chef with experience, with knowledge of the ingredients that football needs. Chelsea are in good hands, no problem.’’ More respect.

He spoke of his hunger to reach the quarter-finals simply as “an important moment’’ for Inter, a “special moment’’ for his players, not as an opportunity to see the people who sacked him squirm. “I have nothing to prove to Chelsea, to Chelsea’s players, to Chelsea’s fans, to Chelsea’s board,’’ he stressed. “The relations are great. Will I be booed? I don’t believe I will be. I will be clapped.’’

If Inter score, there would be no trademark dance down the touchline, no patented knee slide. A special reason underpinned such restraint. “Because it’s Chelsea. Because it’s the team where I worked for 3½ years, the same people, the same players, the same supporters who made me feel incredible every time we played in this stadium.

“I feel at home here. I opened the door and walked through the door; I go to the second floor where there are people I know; to the third floor where there are people I know. Before the game I know everybody and I love them. After the game I know everybody and I love them. But for 90 minutes I know nobody.

“Don’t confuse my feelings for my ex-players and my ex-club with my desire and motivation to win this game. I watched Inter v Chelsea seven times. A coach that watches a game seven times, stopping to go back over bits, then run them again I gave everything to prepare for this game. And during the 90 minutes, I will give everything again to help my team win.’’

Amid the special respect could be detected a certain ruefulness over his departure. “I feel sorry,’’ reflected Mourinho. He surveyed the current English landscape and saw old friends and foes. “Of course Sir Alex [Ferguson] is above every one of us. I know [Manchester] City, Tottenham and Aston Villa are coming now but when I look at the big four teams while I was in England, they’re all there. Sir Alex is there. Wenger is there. Benítez is there. I did more than enough to be here.’’

They stayed. He went. Roman Abramovich dismissed him. “The decision was made. Chelsea looked forward. I look forward. They move on. I move on.’’

He wished now he had quit after a famous goal by Didier Drogba at Wembley in May 2007. “I would have left the day after the FA Cup final after my third season. The timing was wrong when I eventually did leave.’’

He found the months before joining Inter “painful’’ and hardly enjoys the most relaxing of times in Italy, where he has a fractious relationship with the media, the footballing authorities, many referees and some managers.

The volatility of Mourinho’s situation was captured when his defender, Marco Materazzi, spoke of the players’ passion to deliver for their coach. “We’re fortunate that Mourinho is with us at the moment and we want to keep him,’’ said the Italian international. “We’ll fight for him in the match.’’

Mourinho readily admitted to long-term plans outside Serie A. “I have three things to do in my career: to come back to English football, to win the Spanish championship because no one has won Italian, English and Spanish titles, and, when I’m old, to coach my national team. But, for now, I would like to keep winning with Inter.’’

Success on TUesday evening would be particularly special. Along with a few custard creams for the journey back.

Telegraph Source

Top man!

[bluegraham]

TOP MAN INDEED,BUT LETS SUPPORT THE TEAM TONIGHT NOT THE SPECIAL ONE,GIVE HIM A RECEPTION AT THE START THEN LEAVE IT BE.

[jcm28]

I just know that he likes us more than Inter. i'd like to see him back someday...

[TheWestwayWonder]

Top man indeed. Sometimes I too feel that he likes us more than Inter. But I think you read that and realize that in the end he does have honor. He has the decency to put the games away and act like an adult when he is dealing with us because to him Chelsea are family.

I cant wait to see the reception and the game. But just like bluegraham says

for 90 minutes I know nobody.

Hope he leaves empty handed tomorrow night.

Edited March 16, 2010 by TheWestwayWonder

[mad_mac]

3 things to do...come back to England, Win in Spain (I think he'll be at Real season's end) and coach Portugal.

Again he's hinting at cming back to the Premiership

[MHL_blue]

He will never forget Josè and Josè will never forget us. Top man and deserves a warm welcome tonight, although he's going home emptyhanded..

[Maverick]

Loved him when he was with us, tonight he's just another coach with another team. Nostalgia and emotions take a back seat - lets be ruthless.

[coco]

Love you too Jose.

Now, lets go out and destroy the special one and his team.

[AAF]

To me it is the same old mind games, because in his press conferences Jose is way extra warm and sweet. Much more than the occasion deserves. He must have figured out that this tactic will be more effective at distracting us then trying to wind us up with some arrogant ridiculous crap - a tactic, which he uses most of the time. In other words, if he angered the team somehow, I'm sure they would give 110% to prove him wrong. But he is trying to make them focus on the good old days and how they loved playing FOR him and not on how they are going to destroy Inter today.

[kalpitv]

To me it is the same old mind games, because in his press conferences Jose is way extra warm and sweet. Much more than the occasion deserves. He must have figured out that this tactic will be more effective at distracting us then trying to wind us up with some arrogant ridiculous crap - a tactic, which he uses most of the time. In other words, if he angered the team somehow, I'm sure they would give 110% to prove him wrong. But he is trying to make them focus on the good old days and how they loved playing FOR him and not on how they are going to destroy Inter today.

I couldn't care less.

I sincerely hope it's more of him missing us than us missing him tonight. I'm sure Drogba will ensure that.

[TheWestwayWonder]

Again he's hinting at cming back to the Premiership

Yeah, but if you look at how much he talks about Ferguson, I dont know if it will be for us....

[BigIzz]

If anything about this match gives me an uneasy feeling it's Mourinho's involvement. I don't think there is anyone else on the planet that I would less like to see leading Inter today. Thankfully I don't think his players will be nearly as motived by this circumstance as he will be so I'm not sure how much it matters.

[robx1970]

is it wrong to get goosebumps knowing of our love affair?

[hennerzcfc]

mourinho was a god but he has moved on so thank him at the start but after that he is just a opponent so he must lose

[MKBlue]

I was in Milan for the first leg and to hear a bar packed with Blues belting out the Jose song was pretty special.

Welcome home Special one, hope you leave miserable tonight.

[The special Juan]

TOP MAN INDEED,BUT LETS SUPPORT THE TEAM TONIGHT NOT THE SPECIAL ONE,GIVE HIM A RECEPTION AT THE START THEN LEAVE IT BE.

You will respect before, during, and after the game.

[TheWestwayWonder]

f**k off you smalltime Fulham c**t

Only in your sorriest of wet dreams could you even see Fulham reach a game like we played today.

[Mod]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/8569252.stm

Nice to hear Jose point out the penalties we should have had last year against Barca. (Probably missed the rugby tackles on Drogba and Alex last night though)

Mind games with Roman at the end perhaps?

Now go win the trophy Jose!

[Chippy]

I won't be wishing Inter or Mourinho luck in the rest of the competition,

The way his team defended against Drogba was down to Mourinho and ammounted to little more than cheating, I won't use the fact that we should have had apossibly two penalties in this leg alone as an excuse because we had far too many big players go missing (Anelka Lampard) but Mourinho knows how to wind our players up and used it while having the luck of a referee that missed players wrestling Drogba and Ivanovic and Ballak to the ground then missed a blatent jump on top of Drogba off the ball but caught the response of him treading on the blokes leg.

I am not pointing to a conspiricy here just stating that a more observent Ref could have and in my opinion should have given a penalty for at least one of those offences.

The result then would have been a lot different as Carlo would not have replaced Ballack with Joe, we would not have surrendered the battle in midfield that we were already losing and we would have been 1-0 up with an away goal.

I never had a love affair with Mourinho although I was fully behind him when he was here, I feel the same with ancelotti but will be behind him in the same way and although he got out thought tactically by Mourinho on this occasion he also had the added handicap of the players having the seed of doubt put in to their heads by Jose.

I don't like that he texted JT before the game and I dont like the way his team wrestled in the box, if Wengers, Fergusons or any other teams players done that most Chelsea fans would be up in arms but anyone who doesn't think it was on Joses instructions is underestimating him and not many here do that.

Edited March 17, 2010 by Chippy

[The Brit]

jose showed again last night just what we let go in 2007...the closest we've had since him in terms of quality was guus...ancelotti is increasingly looking like a yes man with little imagination...last night jose constantly cajoled, encouraged, organised his players...carlo stood there, listless...yes we could have had pens, but how often have we seen ricky for example do exactly the same thing...if jose told them to defend like that then it worked pure and simple...there should be no sour grapes, just acceptance that we were outthought by the best manager we've ever had

[Chippy]

jose showed again last night just what we let go in 2007...the closest we've had since him in terms of quality was guus...ancelotti is increasingly looking like a yes man with little imagination...last night jose constantly cajoled, encouraged, organised his players...carlo stood there, listless...yes we could have had pens, but how often have we seen ricky for example do exactly the same thing...if jose told them to defend like that then it worked pure and simple...there should be no sour grapes, just acceptance that we were outthought by the best manager we've ever had

I said in my post we were out thought, that doesn't mean we should be worshipping the bloke because he new how to get at our players..if any of the managers since he was here had had the backing he got when he arrived half the players would not still be here for him to know how to get at.

Carvalho has been guilty of tugging people about in the area but I don't recall him doing it as bad or as often as Drogba was getting it last night.

Until a manager gets the backing he had in his start with us comparing is not unly unfair but unproductive, every manager we've had since him has been compared to his first two seasons with us, two seasons where he was given the backing of Romans wallet and started with a team on the up not a group of players who were past their best and in dire need of an overhaul.

He done well for us with a good team and heavy backing, when the money stopped flowing he faired the same as the rest..comman denominator we need fresh blood and this is four managers after he found the going tough here when the likes of Lamps, Drogba Ballack where younger and hungrier.

Edited March 17, 2010 by Chippy

[ethicalstrategy]

Frankly, last night was a lesson in what happens when you make a bad decision. It comes back and bites you in the arse. It was what I feared most when the draw was made.

Complaining about the refereeing or the physicality of Inter is pointless. They simply outplayed us on the field and were tactically superior.

Time has moved on and I am all for sticking with Ancelotti and backing him in the summer to make the changes that are needed but I can't pretend that I don't miss Mourinho.

I'm particularly glad that he conducted himself in a very low key manner (for him!) and generally was very respectful towards Chelsea as a club and to the fans.

[Chippy]

Frankly, last night was a lesson in what happens when you make a bad decision. It comes back and bites you in the arse. It was what I feared most when the draw was made.

Complaining about the refereeing or the physicality of Inter is pointless. They simply outplayed us on the field and were tactically superior.

Time has moved on and I am all for sticking with Ancelotti and backing him in the summer to make the changes that are needed but I can't pretend that I don't miss Mourinho.

I'm particularly glad that he conducted himself in a very low key manner (for him!) and generally was very respectful towards Chelsea as a club and to the fans.

Why do you pick a bit of my post ie complaining about the refereeing and say its pointless (as it is) but not address the part that says He done well for us with a good team and heavy backing, when the money stopped flowing he faired the same as the rest..comman denominator we need fresh blood and this is four managers after he found the going tough here when the likes of Lamps, Drogba Ballack where younger and hungrier.

If we had backed any of the managers we've had since our second title (Mourinho included) we would be a different proposition, if we bring in big names and just expect them to do with the same players what Mourinho couldn't do in his third season we are not going to improve.

I don't see how the additions we've had since Joses second title are good enough to be expected to keep us challenging on all fronts espesially with the ages of the players we still have.

the difference last night was they knew how to wind us up..they had an advantage which was a bit lucky after the first leg..they had Sneijder who can make things happen and we have nobody like that.

Edited March 17, 2010 by Chippy

[The Brit]

I agree chippy that jose had the benefit of more backing in the transfer market, although claudio spent a lot of money too and seemed to do his best to lose big trophies...it still takes a great tactical brain to make it work...Jose wasn't perfect, the two semi-final defeats to liverpool in the champs league are testament to that...but he is the best we've had and I can't imagine chelsea playing as badly as they did last night if he had been in charge...

you say things were going downhill at the end under jose...well it wasn't that bad...his last season they won the fa and carling cups...took utd down to the wire in the prem league and lost to liverpool on pens in the champs league semi...his biggest problem was his bust-up with roman and that started to distract him from the job at hand...still think we would have won more than one fa cup if he had stayed the last few years rather than been shown the door

Edited March 17, 2010 by The Brit

[ethicalstrategy]

If you want me to say that Mourinho was not very good for Chelsea and over rated and only did well because he had the backing of the club and lots of money then I wouldn't hold your breath. He was the best manager we have ever had.

You say that he faired the same as the others once he lost the support of the club but that's not really true. We didn't win the league but we did manage to scrape the Carling Cup and the FA Cup. Hardly a sign of complete failure.

Do I think it right that we have had 4 managers in 3 years since he left? Not at all. As a club we have made a right mess of things. We were sitting on the summit and managed to shoot ourselves in the foot and we are paying the price for that.

That's not to say we are rubbish. Far from it. As Hiddink showed, under a manager who knows what he is doing we are still a very good side. We can't keep changing horses. Scolari was a disaster and it's a pity that Hiddink couldn't have been persuaded to stay.

As I said before, I think we need to back Ancelotti and give him a chance to build a team.