Mourinho given free rein after peace talks

From The Times

July 16, 2007

Matt Hughes

Roman Abramovich has promised Jos� Mourinho that there will be less interference from boardroom level this season and that the manager will be free to run the first team as he sees fit. The Chelsea owner is planning to adopt a lower-profile in the coming campaign, attending fewer matches and staying out of the dressing-room and away from the training ground.

Abramovich revealed his intentions during peace talks with Mourinho at Stamford Bridge a fortnight ago, the first time they have spoken at length in more than six months. Other than a brief encounter in the directors’ lounge at Old Trafford after the FA Cup semi-final win over Blackburn Rovers in April, they had not seen each other since an acrimonious meeting in January, when Mourinho reacted angrily to Abramovich’s suggestion that he needed the help of Avram Grant, the club’s newly appointed director of football, to get the best out of Andriy Shevchenko. The Russian responded by withdrawing money for new signings during the transfer window even though the club were suffering from an injury crisis.

Abramovich’s meeting with Mourinho after an abortive search for a replacement manager is the first sign of his determination to make a troubled relationship work in the best interests of the club this season. The Portuguese was reassured by his employer’s conciliatory tone and willingness to spend £13.5 million on signing Florent Malouda, without raising the funds from the sale of Arjen Robben. With Abramovich taking a back seat, Grant is expected to be his eyes and ears around the club, although he has also pledged not to get in Mourinho’s way.

Mourinho said: “I had a very long meeting with Mr Abramovich and I think it was far better that we had one good and very long meeting than ten short and bad meetings. There is no problem or doubt between us. I know what he thinks, what he feels and what he wants. He knows me as a person and he knows me as a manager.

“He knows the way I work and he knows that people sometimes think I’m not a communicator. But I am a communicator and I do get on with people. We had an easy, long, enjoyable meeting and everything has been sorted and addressed. The air is very clear between us.”

Mourinho has also raised the prospect of staying at the club beyond the three years remaining on his contract, although an extension was not discussed at the meeting. With so much potential for internal unrest, Abramovich has resolved to review the manager’s position on an annual basis and will see how he fares this season.

“If we go together until the end of my contract, I think in that moment we’ll have time to make a decision, but I like English football so much I would like to go on,” Mourinho said. “I’m in my fourth season in English football and if I can complete a fifth, sixth, seventh or eighth season, I would love that. England is the tops. I don’t have a desire to try something different. I have no desire to go to Spain or Italy. I want to stay here for a very long time.”

Chelsea’s players have welcomed the new peace accord, with Didier Drogba the first to express his relief. “We’re not here to create a big mess and are just happy to start again this season,” the Ivory Coast striker said. “We believe we can be champions again. I think a lot of people in so many clubs would be happy to have the same problems we have.”