Mourinho on report to Abramovich

Mourinho on report to Abramovich
LONDON, May 19 (AFP) - Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho writes a report for the Premiership champions' owner Roman Abramovich each week outlining the reasons behind his team selection, tactics and substitutions.
In a BBC interview with former England striker Gary Lineker to be broadcast Monday the Portuguese revealed details of his close working relationship with the Russian billionaire.
Mourinho said before he met Abramovich last year after leaving FC Porto, chief executive Peter Kenyon and director Eugene Tenenbaum told him how the owner wanted to operate.
"He (Abramovich) wanted the best for the club," Mourinho said. "So did I. He wanted to know the club life.
"I have to tell him because he's the owner. He has to know everything and from that point I told him he will know why every decision was made.
"Why I did not play this one and I played the other one, why do you want Paulo (Ferreira) to be your right back? Why do you want Ricardo Carvalho to be your central defender?
"I have to explain - more than explain. I have to give a written report where they can understand and I can commit myself with that responsibility."
But he added he was happy to work this way because of Abramovich's passion for football and London club Chelsea, which he bought for 140 million pounds in July 2003.
"The relationship is fantastic. We meet every week... We speak about the future, we speak about the present and for me what is amazing is his (Abramovich's) passion for football and for the club.
"He understands football, he loves football, he eats football," Mourinho added. "He likes to be surrounded by football people because he loves the game, so I think it's fantastic to speak with him, to explain things to him and to share my ideas and my thoughts."
Mourinho also refuted suggestions Abramovich would not be long at Stamford Bridge.
"He is so much in love with the club. He's not a person to sell the club in a few years [and] go away. He's completely committed and that's good," said the coach who in his first season with the club won both the Premiership and League Cup titles after guiding Porto to the Champions League title.
Mourinho meanwhile defended the club's lavish spending policy. "If I am in Chelsea for 10 years like Arsene Wenger with Arsenal, in my 10th year I won't have to spend so much money, because by then we will have built an academy and a scouting network.
"It's not fair when people speak about Chelsea's amount of money, but I cannot be a hypocrite because it is easier to work with a person of his economic power where you can say 'I'd love to have this player'."
Mourinho told Lineker his self-proclaimed status as the "special one" was a front. "It's a bit of an act. I think you have to act a little bit and to show sometimes a different face.
"I am not bad at it. I'm not the 'special one'. I was under pressure when I arrived as a European champion and I thought I wasn't respected."
"The press put 50 difficult questions to me - can you succeed, are you ready for this and are you ready for that? I said, 'what you want is this - I'm the special one', and you never forget it."
Mourinho added his respect for Sir Alex Ferguson together with the Portuguese connection at Old Trafford - assistant manager Carlos Queiroz and winger Cristiano Ronaldo meant he'd be cheering for Manchester United in Saturday's FA Cup final against Arsenal.
"I also have a strong relationship with Sir Alex," he said. "I think a man like him deserves silverware year after year."