Showing posts with label @chelseafc. Show all posts
Showing posts with label @chelseafc. Show all posts

Monday, 24 October 2016

The Long Road to Eden for Mourinho


Looks like the long road to Eden for Jose Mourinho and that return to Stanford Bridge proved that much work needs to be done with The Reds. . Raising the question as to whether the Manchester United board will suffer while The Special One seeks to rediscover whatever made him great in 2005. Or lose patience not unlike Chelsea did when Mourinho returned last season from Real Madrid with little positive to contribute and eventually losing his job. The expensive and much touted moved to Manchester United was wrong from the start and a few months in to the season still looks a poor fit. With Antonio Conte proving the more astute manager on the day, winning by four gals and reviving Eden hazard from the dark place that he was under when manged by Mourinho. Who was keen to sell him at one point in his last stint at Chelsea. 

On Sunday, the Belgian international lived up to his surname and was nothing but a hazard for Mourinho, who on the side line looked almost a beaten man from the start and just hoping for the best. His team devoid of ideas and again a Paul Pogba who is playing like someone worth a quarter of the £89m transfer fee. Yet only months ago he was the main power with Juventus- the club he played at during four seasons. Ironically two of this were for Antonio Conte and were season that saw Pogba win the Biaconero with two Serie A in 2012–13 and 2013–14 and a Supercoppa Italiana. This season the trophy cupboard looks bleak and Pogba only half the player he was during EURO 2016. Indeed, Conte’s Chelsea looked like they had that proverbial extra man as they ran riot at Stamford Bridge scoring twice in the first half without reply. Then in the second succumbing to a Hazard goal and then Kate the latest recruit arriving from Leicester City. 

Antonio Conte
"I am delighted for the performance because we played very well with good intensity, good positions and we moved the ball very quickly and created many chances to score goals," he said.

"This is the third game we haven't conceded a goal and that is very important. This type of game, against a very strong team like Manchester United, increases our confidence about our work.

"We are working very hard, I see my players every day with the right commitment and work rate and they deserve this type of win and performance.

"When you work very hard it's important to win because then you trust the work."

"I asked my players to start the game strongly and to show our desire to win the game, not just to our fans but to our opponent," he added.

"We scored after 30 seconds. The most important thing is that we continued to play and to try to score the second goal, it happened and I'm very happy.

"Now we must continue because this is the right way but for me United is in the past.

"We must concentrate on Wednesday when we have another tough game against West Ham and it's important to recover and prepare for that game." 


OSM - All rights reserved


Wednesday, 20 April 2016

Will Clement Rejoin Ancelotti at Bayern


Derby County have sacked head coach Paul Clement after a winless run of seven games in the Championship.

A statement on the club’s official website confirmed that the former Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea assistant to Carlo Ancelotti had been relieved of his duties.

“Derby County Football Club is saddened to announce that Paul Clement will leave his post with immediate effect,” read the statement.

“The Head Coach, who joined the club in June last year, has been relieved of his duties and is replaced by Academy Director and former Rams defender Darren Wassall until the end of the season.”

Clement has seen his Derby side fail to win in the league since Boxing Day, a run that has seen them slip four points behind second-placed Middlesbrough in the race for automatic promotion.

Chairman Mel Morris said: “We are grateful for the contribution Paul has made to the football club but the time is right to make a change.

“When Paul joined us last year we worked with him to develop a plan for the club which we asked him to embrace.

“It was clear in this plan, which was briefed to supporters, players, sponsors and all our stakeholders last summer that promotion this season was not the primary target. The priorities were building on the Derby way and style of football enjoyed in the past two seasons; adding depth and strength to our playing squad; and, developing and improving player and team performance.

“Sadly, on these measurements, we have not made enough progress and that is why we have decided to part company with Paul.

“I firmly believe that we have one of the very best first team squads in this league. Our players are highly talented professionals who are more than capable of winning games at this level and beyond.

“I want to record our thanks to Paul for his efforts in leading the team through the first 30 games of this season and in achieving a top six position at this point. We wish him every success in his future career.”

Chief executive Sam Rush, confirmed that Wassall, 47, will take training on Tuesday in his new role.

He said: “We are in the fortunate position to have somebody as capable as Darren at our football club and he will be leading the coaching staff with immediate effect.

“Our focus is to get the team back on track, delivering the style of football and performance we know they are capable of. I know our fans will give Darren, the coaching staff and the team their full support.”

Paul Clement worked in the past with Carlo Ancelotti at Chelsea, Paris Saint German and Real Madrid. 

Perhaps he will rejoin the Italian at Bayern Munich in the summer when Ancelotti takes over from Pep Guardiola.


Sunday, 13 March 2016

Mourihno Hopes for Summer Work


José Mourinho wants to join a new club in the summer after “reading and listening to a few lies” about his future.

The Portuguese has been out of work since his sacking by Chelsea in December but has been persistently linked with Louis van Gaal’s job at Manchester United.

Van Gaal has a year of his United deal remaining but results and fan opinion are going against him, meaning it would not come as a surprise if he left Old Trafford 12 months early.

On Mourinho’s side, the three-times Premier League winner has said he is hopeful of a summer return and claims to have turned down a number of offers since parting company with Chelsea.

Speaking to Fletch and Sav on BT Sport, the 53-year-old said: “I was lucky enough to have good options since I left Chelsea in December. Yes I was lucky enough to have not just options but good options but I made a decision to wait calm in my corner, not disturbing, just waiting, reading a few lies, listen to a few lies.

“The reality is that I want to work and normally July, mid-July, new pre-season starts and somewhere I want to be there.”


Wednesday, 9 March 2016

Chelsea v Paris Saint German - Preview

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Guus Hiddink has defended Diego Costa after Paris St Germain branded the Chelsea striker a fraud ahead of Wednesday's Champions League showdown at Stamford Bridge.

PSG's social media team upped the ante on the eve of the last-16, second-leg tie with a video montage of masked super heroes titled 'Spot the fraud', which also included Costa, who has been playing with a protective mask due to a broken nose.

Manager Laurent Blanc warned his PSG players to stay cool when facing Costa, who has scored 10 goals in 14 games under Hiddink, but has just one Champions League goal in two seasons and 14 games with the Blues.

Costa, available after missing Saturday's 1-1 draw with Stoke as a precaution over a minor tendon problem, has a reputation for riling opponents.

He has never been sent off for Chelsea, although he has served two retrospective three-match domestic bans in his two seasons in London.

"I'm very proud of him the way he's playing and, going not over the edge, but he likes to fight in the real way of the game," said Hiddink, whose side are looking to get back into the tie after losing the first leg in Paris 2-1.

"That's what we like. I protect him and support him when he's doing what he has done in my period at Chelsea.

"He scored recently in not the worst league in the world. In the Premier League he frequently is scoring now, since December, January.

"Before he had this problem of not scoring, as did the team. Let's see and hope he can make it to the European level as well."

Hiddink also issued a robust defence of Eden Hazard ahead of the game.

The Belgium playmaker, Chelsea's leading performer in last season's Premier League and Capital One Cup double, has struggled for form this campaign.

On the eve of the first leg, Hazard suggested a move to PSG would be difficult to turn down, stoking speculation he is hoping to leave Stamford Bridge in the summer.

He was substituted in the 2-1 defeat at Parc des Princes last month but Hiddink attributed that to his return from a groin injury.

"At that time when he was playing away in Paris he was in that period just coming back from a rather severe injury," added Hiddink.

"We could not ask him to be game fit at that moment. He had two or three actions that looked like Hazard.

"We are some weeks further into the league and game fitness. He can and must show what he is capable of, which is more than the away game."

The Blues are up against PSG for a third straight season. Chelsea won the quarter-final tie in 2014 on away goals, but were defeated at the last-16 stage in 2015 by the same method.


Monday, 7 March 2016

Carneiro Calls for Mourinho Public Apology


Eva Carneiro has called on José Mourinho to make a public apology to the former Chelsea team doctor as part of a settlement in her employment case.

Carneiro is claiming constructive dismissal against Chelsea and has a separate personal legal action against the former manager Mourinho, who left the club in December, for alleged victimisation and discrimination.

She arrived for a private employment tribunal in Croydon on Monday along with her legal team and her husband, the polar explorer Jason De Carteret.

Her barrister, Mary O’Rourke QC, told ITV News: “We’re not expecting a resolution today. The two sides are so far apart financially. And we want Mr Mourinho to make a public apology.” ITV said Carneiro was claiming “substantial damages”.

She was criticised by Mourinho and dropped from first-team duties following the draw with Swansea on the opening day of the Premier League season last August.

Any settlement proposed by the judge must be agreeable to Carneiro, Chelsea and Mourinho, otherwise the case would be scheduled to proceed to an employment tribunal which would be heard in public on 6 June.

Witness statements and documents, including texts and emails, are likely to be made public, while Carneiro, Mourinho and representatives from Chelsea could be called to appear as witnesses.

That could be difficult for Mourinho, who is keen to return to management and has been linked with a move to Manchester United, with Louis van Gaal’s position under scrutiny.

However, there is also the prospect that Chelsea, who have refused to comment on the proceedings, and Mourinho could settle the case at any time. Carneiro in January appeared at a tribunal hearing for three hours, but no settlement was reached.

The 42-year-old doctor was dropped from first-team duties after then-Chelsea manager Mourinho criticised her and the first-team physio Jon Fearn for going on to the pitch to treat Eden Hazard on the opening day of the season.

The action meant that Chelsea were temporarily down to nine men against Swansea, and afterwards Mourinho called Carneiro and Fearn “impulsive and naive”.

Carneiro did not appear on the bench again for first-team duties and later parted company with the club.

Mourinho was cleared of using discriminatory language towards Carneiro following an investigation by the Football Association.


Wednesday, 24 February 2016

English Champion Has no Job

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José Mourinho, linked with an imminent move to replace Louis van Gaal at Manchester United, says he is happy to wait until the summer to make a return to football.

Pressure on Van Gaal eased briefly after United’s FA Cup win at Shrewsbury on Monday, but his side face another potential upset on Thursday in the return leg of their Europa League last-32 tie against Midtjylland, having lost the first leg 2-1.

On Saturday the Internazionale director Bedy Moratti suggested Mourinho had already agreed a deal to move to Manchester, with Ed Woodward, United’s executive vice-chairman, continuing to deliberate over Van Gaal’s future.

Mourinho, though – speaking to students at an event in Singapore – said he was satisfied to wait for the “right project”, playing down talk of a return to management before May. “I always feel that it’s better to wait, not to rush, better to be calm, to wait for the right moment, the right move,” he said. “I feel that starting the next season with a new club and project is probably the best thing for me.

“I’m travelling, enjoying my family, enjoying my friends and my life, and I wait to see what happens. The reality is I like football so much, I miss football, and when I have the chance to be back I will come back.”

Mourinho, who was joined by his agent Jorge Mendes to speak to children at the NorthLight school as part of the Valencia chairman Peter Lim’s Olympic scholarship, added: “It’s quite a funny career. I am the English champion, and I still have no job.

“I read so many different things. One day it says I go to China, another day it says I go to Italy, and people say I’m back to Inter Milan. I’m here – probably, you are saying I will do the Singapore national team. But the reality is I have no job, and at the moment I’m happy not to have a job.”

When he was sacked by Chelsea in December, Mourinho’s representatives, CAA, suggested he would seek a quick return: “He will not be taking a sabbatical, he isn’t tired, he doesn’t need it, he is very positive, and is already looking forward. Each time represents for him the end of a cycle and the opportunity to start a new one. José hopes that his future after Chelsea this time will be as successful as when he left the club in 2007.”


Saturday, 20 February 2016

Mourinho Not Looking for Job...But


Jose Mourinho has claimed he is not looking for a new job at the moment, but says clubs are pursuing him.

The 53-year-old ended his second spell at Chelsea in December following a poor start to the campaign.

He has since been heavily linked with a return to the Premier League with Manchester United, who are currently managed by Louis van Gaal.

"My next club? I really do not know, but one thing is certain - I love football and I will return with the same passion and ambition I've always had," Mourinho told La Stampa.

"Right now I have respect for every coach at every club. I'm not looking for a club, but there are clubs that are looking for me."

I'm not looking for a club, but there are clubs that are looking for me.

Reports in Italy have suggested Mourinho could even return to Inter Milan, with whom he won the treble in 2010, as current head coach Roberto Mancini is struggling to secure a top-three finish in Serie A.

But Mourinho, ahead of a personal trip to Milan to watch the Nerazzurri play Sampdoria on Saturday, insisted he has no plans to return to the San Siro dugout.

He is hoping former Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini and Inter president Erick Thohir can turn the club's fortunes around though.

Mourinho said: "There is one thing I want to clarify - I will not be directing things over there next season. Inter already have a project that belongs to Roberto Mancini and Erick Thohir.

"Their ideas have my full support and I hope their plans are successful. I want to see Inter fans smiling again and so I hope to witness a victory tomorrow."

It is understood Chelsea, who sacked Mourinho for the second time in eight years in December, have sent the Portuguese replica versions of the Premier League and Capital One Cup trophies he won last season, as well as a letter thanking him for his achievements.