thejollyrodger
16/09/2005, 9:23 PM
Mourinho brushes off Cole claims
16/09/2005 - 18:08:28
Jose Mourinho has chosen to ignore the latest tale of alleged unrest from inside the Chelsea camp chiefly because it has arrived via a third party and not directly from the lips of England midfielder Joe Cole.
The Portuguese coach found it more than amusing that Cole’s supposed desire to quit Stamford Bridge because of the lack of first-team football in a World Cup season, was released into the public arena by a ‘source’ close to the player and not the midfielder himself.
Cole still has another year of his contract to run and all parties are set to hold talks about an extension to his current deal at the end of this season.
In a newspaper report, a friend of the 23-year-old claimed Cole had confided to him that he needed to move because his career was suffering and it was time for a fresh start.
However Mourinho, who has already carpeted Ricardo Carvalho for speaking out over his decision to axe him from the side at the start of the season, sees no reason to speak to the England player about the issue.
Mourinho said: “My reaction is to the story is rubbish. It is an interview with nobody – I don’t understand this source. Who is he? A friend? A friend of a friend? It is unbelievable.
“For me it is nothing. Why should I speak to Joe? For what? Joe Cole was always very open to me. He was in my office last season half-a-dozen times - knocking on my door asking to speak to me.
“He asked why he was not playing and what could he do to improve. I feel this is ridiculous.”
However, Mourinho did admit that when the transfer window opens again in January, everyone in his squad will have his price.
He added: “If he wants to leave he has to wait until the end of the year for the market in January and the player has a price. They can’t just say they want to leave. If they want to leave, they have a price.”
Chelsea travel to face unbeaten Charlton at The Valley tomorrow with Mourinho warning that Alan Curbishley’s side possess all the necessary ingredients to beat them.
In Darren Bent they have the Premiership’s top scorer and Mourinho will present Curbishley with an award for reaching 600 games in charge of the south London club.
However, Mourinho does not believe the Addicks have the staying power to finish above them and, while they are currently pushing Chelsea close at the top of the Barclays Premiership, he does not think they have a chance of finishing in the top four.
Mourinho said: “I think they can compete. What I don’t think is that at the end of the season they can be in front of us. At the end of the season, you will see the difference between their power and ours. The difference will be, I don’t know, 20 or 30 points.
“But now when they play against us, they can beat us. A Championship team can beat a Premiership team, Charlton can beat Chelsea.
“But the reality at the end of the season means that Chelsea will be one of the first teams and Charlton can be in one of the UEFA positions. That would be fantastic for them.
“It will be a difficult game for us but also it will be their most difficult one to date. It won’t be easy for them.
“They have speed in attack and that is very important. They are very solid in defence. It is a team that I like and they deserve the good start they are having.”
Bent’s contribution to that flying start is also acknowledged by Mourinho but signing a player from a lower league in England and throwing him straight into Premiership action is not something which would happen at Chelsea.
Mourinho said: “I think Darren Bent was a good signing. But I don’t see a team like Chelsea, Manchester United or Arsenal signing a player from a lower division and throwing him into Champions League or other high-level competitions.
“But for these medium level teams, I think it is intelligent if you do it. I don’t think he will score every weekend or finish with 40 goals but if he scores 15 goals for them, it is fantastic.” http://breaking.tcm.ie/2005/09/16/story221214.html
I think squad members with Chelsea are bound to get fustrated this year since its world cup year. The longer the season goes on the worse it will get IMHO
16/09/2005 - 18:08:28
Jose Mourinho has chosen to ignore the latest tale of alleged unrest from inside the Chelsea camp chiefly because it has arrived via a third party and not directly from the lips of England midfielder Joe Cole.
The Portuguese coach found it more than amusing that Cole’s supposed desire to quit Stamford Bridge because of the lack of first-team football in a World Cup season, was released into the public arena by a ‘source’ close to the player and not the midfielder himself.
Cole still has another year of his contract to run and all parties are set to hold talks about an extension to his current deal at the end of this season.
In a newspaper report, a friend of the 23-year-old claimed Cole had confided to him that he needed to move because his career was suffering and it was time for a fresh start.
However Mourinho, who has already carpeted Ricardo Carvalho for speaking out over his decision to axe him from the side at the start of the season, sees no reason to speak to the England player about the issue.
Mourinho said: “My reaction is to the story is rubbish. It is an interview with nobody – I don’t understand this source. Who is he? A friend? A friend of a friend? It is unbelievable.
“For me it is nothing. Why should I speak to Joe? For what? Joe Cole was always very open to me. He was in my office last season half-a-dozen times - knocking on my door asking to speak to me.
“He asked why he was not playing and what could he do to improve. I feel this is ridiculous.”
However, Mourinho did admit that when the transfer window opens again in January, everyone in his squad will have his price.
He added: “If he wants to leave he has to wait until the end of the year for the market in January and the player has a price. They can’t just say they want to leave. If they want to leave, they have a price.”
Chelsea travel to face unbeaten Charlton at The Valley tomorrow with Mourinho warning that Alan Curbishley’s side possess all the necessary ingredients to beat them.
In Darren Bent they have the Premiership’s top scorer and Mourinho will present Curbishley with an award for reaching 600 games in charge of the south London club.
However, Mourinho does not believe the Addicks have the staying power to finish above them and, while they are currently pushing Chelsea close at the top of the Barclays Premiership, he does not think they have a chance of finishing in the top four.
Mourinho said: “I think they can compete. What I don’t think is that at the end of the season they can be in front of us. At the end of the season, you will see the difference between their power and ours. The difference will be, I don’t know, 20 or 30 points.
“But now when they play against us, they can beat us. A Championship team can beat a Premiership team, Charlton can beat Chelsea.
“But the reality at the end of the season means that Chelsea will be one of the first teams and Charlton can be in one of the UEFA positions. That would be fantastic for them.
“It will be a difficult game for us but also it will be their most difficult one to date. It won’t be easy for them.
“They have speed in attack and that is very important. They are very solid in defence. It is a team that I like and they deserve the good start they are having.”
Bent’s contribution to that flying start is also acknowledged by Mourinho but signing a player from a lower league in England and throwing him straight into Premiership action is not something which would happen at Chelsea.
Mourinho said: “I think Darren Bent was a good signing. But I don’t see a team like Chelsea, Manchester United or Arsenal signing a player from a lower division and throwing him into Champions League or other high-level competitions.
“But for these medium level teams, I think it is intelligent if you do it. I don’t think he will score every weekend or finish with 40 goals but if he scores 15 goals for them, it is fantastic.” http://breaking.tcm.ie/2005/09/16/story221214.html
I think squad members with Chelsea are bound to get fustrated this year since its world cup year. The longer the season goes on the worse it will get IMHO