As the pressure intensifies on Mauricio Pochettino, Chelsea could soon be scouting for a new manager.
The Argentine’s inaugural season at Stamford Bridge has been far from impressive with the Blues currently ninth in the Premier League table, following a brutal 5-0 loss to local rivals Arsenal. Fan speculation is rife as to who might step in should Pochettino leave.
One name that continues to resurface is former manager Jose Mourinho. Despite successful spells previously at Chelsea, Mourinho has been coy about a potential third stint at the helm.
Here’s everything the Portuguese has said so far…
‘Not about us’
In 2019, Mourinho was asked about the prospect of another Chelsea tenure while analysing Liverpool’s Champions League final victory against his future employers Tottenham.
He was asked whether another stint with Chelsea could be on the cards but kept his cards close to his chest. Mourinho replied: “We are not here to speak about it. We are here to speak about this and not about us.”
‘Chelsea is the past’
Mourinho’s links to Chelsea persisted even after his appointment at Tottenham as Pochettino’s successor, causing speculation that his allegiance remained with the Blues. Addressing these concerns, Mourinho simply referenced his past dismissal from Chelsea, saying: “That was before I was sacked! That’s modern football.”
The two-time European champion added: “I can be really happy here [with Tottenham], make people happy and there’s not a bigger, let’s say fan than me in the world who wants Spurs to win and be successful. Maybe the same as me, but not more than me. So Chelsea is the past, a great past, two periods, two periods with titles. But it’s the past.”
‘Chelsea will always be Chelsea’
Despite leaving Tottenham after just 18 months, he still expressed his affection for the club, saying: “If you ask me, do I have somebody that I would love to take over from ‘my Chelsea’ let’s say that, yes, I have but I close my mouth.
“The club reached such a level that it doesn’t matter who it’s with but Chelsea will always be Chelsea. Chelsea will always be big and my house will always be 200 metres away from the stadium so I want to keep listening to the sound of happiness and success. I’m pretty sure it’s going to be like that.”
The 61-year-old doubled down on that claim shortly after by suggesting he would always have an affinity for the Blues. He added: “Of course, my English connection is Chelsea. That’s the way I see things, as a Chelsea man after two periods of Chelsea and six years.”
‘Chelsea is not the Chelsea we know’
Jose Mourinho has hinted that a return to Stamford Bridge isn’t on the cards, despite his affection for Chelsea, after a candid chat with a fan. When asked by a supporter about coming back to the club, Mourinho’s response was telling: “Thank you my friend, but Chelsea is not the Chelsea we know.”
‘The only thing I want’
The Special One also outlined his criteria for future roles, amidst speculation linking him with Newcastle United and a high-profile move to Saudi Arabia. He clarified his stance on taking up new challenges: “It is not like I am afraid of jobs [with clubs] not ‘made to win it’.
“When some [managers] have reached a certain level maybe they say, ‘I will only get jobs made to win it,’” Mourinho said. It is my job to try to make clubs into those ‘made to win it’, or to reach some objectives.
“The only thing I want is that the targets and the objectives have to be established by everyone in a fair way. I cannot go to a club where, because of my history, the objective is to win the title. No. The only thing I want is that it has to be fair.
“Do you think if I was at a big Premier League club and we were sixth, seventh, eighth, in the table, I still have a job? What I am saying is people [should] look at me the way they look at others. What is important for me is if the club has objectives and for me to be able to say I am ready to fight for these.
“I don’t want to say realistic, but [at least] semi-realistic. Because when I went to Roma nobody was dreaming about European Cup finals and we did it. It’s not possible I go to a club almost relegated and the objective is to win the Champions League. It’s good but it is not fair.”
