Mourinho takes sideswipe at Blues
Reuters - Monday 15 March 2010, 20:42
LONDON - Inter Milan coach Jose Mourinho
made a theatrical return to Chelsea on Monday with a masterly
performance on the eve of their Champions League showdown.
The Portuguese proclaimed his love for his former club at
the same time as having a dig at their fortunes since he left
nearly three years ago.
Mourinho, whose team arrive in London with a 2-1 first-leg
lead, stepped from behind a screen to a rattle of camera drives
and flash bulbs for his much-heralded first return cameo.
After a subdued start, when he countered Italian questions
about Inter's recent mediocre performances with steely rebuffs,
the showman warmed to his task, speaking of his joy at "coming
home" and insisting he would do all he could to lead his side to
victory.
He spoke of his regret that unlike Manchester United's Alex
Ferguson, Arsenal's Arsene Wenger and Liverpool's Rafa Benitez,
he had not been able to stay in England.
"I feel sorry. When I look at the big four they are all
there. I did more than enough to be there but the decision was
made - they move on, I move on," he said of his departure from
the club after falling out with owner Roman Abramovich.
"I keep winning important things. They keep winning
something - I think they won the FA Cup," he said.
TRADEMARK SWAGGER
The trademark swagger, which the British media delighted in
but has found little favour in Italy, was in full swing by the
end of the 50-minute performance.
"Tomorrow at the end of the game I will be the Special One
win or lose," the Portuguese said, adding that he was sure the
fans would cheer him when he walked out on the pitch.
Mourinho joined Chelsea in 2004 after winning the Champions
League with Porto and described himself as a "Special One" at
his first London news conference.
"I feel at home," he said. "I go to the second floor where
there are people I know. I go to the third floor where there are
people I know. To be back at an old team, to be back at an
ex-club and feel how I feel is a beautiful thing.
"If we reach the quarter-finals tomorrow it will be a
special moment for Inter," he said. "I have nothing to prove to
Chelsea, to Chelsea players, to Chelsea fans, to the Chelsea
board...
"Don't confuse the respect and feeling for my ex-players and
ex-club with my professionalism nor the desire to win the game
with Inter. I will give everything to win," he said.
He ended with a compliment for his successor, former AC
Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti with whom he enjoyed a fierce
rivalry, alluding to his last news conference before leaving
Chelsea when he likened building a team to making an omelette.
"They have a new chef, a chef with experience, a chef with
knowledge of the ingredients that make a football game,"
Mourinho said.
NEWS: Mourinho plots Inter progress
NEWS: Ancelotti takes sting out of Mourinho return
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