Jose Mourinho reveals he refuses to attend Chelsea games despite living ‘two minutes from Stamford Bridge’
CHELSEA icon Jose Mourinho has revealed the reason he feels he cannot attend games at Stamford Bridge.
The self professed Special One is the Blues’ most successful manager of all time, having won three Premier League titles, three League Cups and an FA Cup.
Chelsea‘s struggles under Mauricio Pochettino this season led to the Stamford Bridge faithful chanting Mourinho‘s name following a 2-2 draw with Brentford in March.
Reports earlier this year had also linked him with a return for a third spell at the club, with one fan asking him about a possible return in March.
However, the 65-year-old does not feel that he can attend games at his stomping ground despite living just two minutes from the stadium.
Speaking to A Bola, Mourinho said: “I’ve always kept myself apart from any unethical behaviour.
“In London, I live two minutes from Chelsea’s stadium, from my house you can hear the goals and people’s demonstrations.
“The day the stadium started singing my name, I stopped going to football. I have to go to other stadiums.
“It takes 20-30 minutes from my [other] house to [Benfica’s stadium] Luz. I went to two or three games.
“They started asking questions like [will you become manager] and I’m not going anymore.
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“They screwed my life up with those questions.”
Mourinho’s two stints with Chelsea saw him sacked in 2007 and 2015 respectively.
He also enjoyed stints in England with Manchester United and Tottenham.
The Portuguese was sacked from his most recent job at Roma in January.
Mourinho admitted when attending the Saudi Arabia Formula One Grand Prix that he would get back into management “tomorrow” if he could.
And he has already revealed one tactical innovation he feels could soon become a reality, playing without a goalkeeper.
In the meantime, Chelsea are hoping to keep their European hopes alive by beating Tottenham this evening.
A win will move them to within two points of seventh place Newcastle.
How Pochettino can solve Chelsea’s midfield crisis thanks to the works of a 13th century poet
By Andy Dillon
IT IS HIGHLY unlikely that Mauricio Pochettino is familiar with the work of Rumi.
Whether the renowned Islamic poet and mystic had the tactical dilemmas facing Chelsea’s head coach in mind while dreaming up his scholarly works in 13th century Afghanistan, we will never know.
It’s fair to say Rumi was not a regular in The Shed at Stamford Bridge.
Yet one of his most famous quotations strikes right at the heart of Pochettino’s problems trying to transform his team into consistent challengers at the top end of the Premier League.
It was Rumi who wrote so prophetically: “Two birds tied together. They will not be able to fly even though they have four wings.”
He could have scribbled that on the back of his programme from so many of Chelsea’s games this season with regard to Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez.
There is a feeling among regular Chelsea watchers that while it is a blow on a personal level for Fernandez to be ruled out for the rest of the season with his injury problem, it may yet turn to Pochettino’s advantage.
For it allows Caicedo to roam that patch in front of his defence with greater freedom. Both players are exceptional individual talents.
Read Andy Dillon’s take on Chelsea’s midfield in full.
Or check out all of Andy Dillon’s articles.