José Mourinho went on a rant to end all rants after his team’s disappointing 3-1 loss to Southampton, after Chelsea took the lead from a sensational Willian free kick.
On this rant, Mourinho touched all bases the “missed” penalty call on the play where Radamel Falcao was taken down by the Southampton keeper, calling out the FA and the match officials, the stability of his player’s mental fortitude, the possibility of him getting sacked and his thoughts on how Chelsea always seems to get the butt end of penalty calls.
Here are some highlights of Mourinho’s tirade after the game to Sky Sports:
“Look, I think you know me. I think I don’t run away from responsibility… When we are in the top, I understand there is quite a big pleasure in putting us down. But when you are so down, I think it’s time to be a little bit honest and to say clearly, the referees are afraid to give decisions for Chelsea.
“The result at 1-1, there’s a huge penalty [claim] and once more, we don’t get it. And a penalty’s a crucial moment in the game, with the result at 1-1. I repeat, if the FA wants to punish me they can punish me, they don’t punish other managers, it’s not a problem for me… The referees are afraid to give decisions to Chelsea.”
“We are always punished. We are punished because Diego Costa is suspended. In other matches we see the same thing and it doesn’t happen. Clear penalties are not given. And with us, it’s one and one and one and one. Even in the Champions League, which is a game with not three officials but with five. We are not given a penalty in the last minute. “
“My team in this moment, the first negative thing that happens, the team collapses. Mentally, physiologically, the team is unbelievably down. It looks like good players are bad players. “
“I want to make it clear… 1) I don’t run away; 2) If the club wants to sack me, they have to sack me because I am not running away from my responsibility, my team. To be champion is obviously very, very difficult because the distance is considerable. I am more than convinced that we will finish top four.”
“You know why? If the club sacks me, they sack the best manager this club had.”
“I consider myself the best, leading the worst period of my career. The worst result of my career. Doing that as a professional hurts me a lot. Doing that at Chelsea hurts me twice. So I want to carry on, no doubt.”
“Sadness brings sadness. Bad results they attract bad results. The first mistake is just the first because after comes another one.“And again I repeat, I want to make it clear again, I don’t want to be offensive. I don’t want to be non-polite. The referees are afraid to give decisions. When you are top, you want to see people come down… The penalty is clear. 2-1 is a complete different story. Okay? Thank you.”
An epic rant by the “Special One” as his team is in big trouble of relegation as they only sit four points ahead of the last relegation position team. Real big questions loom in the defensive side of the ball as John Terry was given a chance again to be in the starting XI and failed miserably. Branislav Ivanovic was no better and Mourinho has come under fire for continuing to start him.
Chelsea only has two wins (over Arsenal and relegation threatened West Brom) and before this defeat they managed to lose three against surprising Crystal Palace, Everton, and Manchester City.
Not to mention, Chelsea has a knack for sending their on-the-rise young players out on loan, as well as playing with small squads thereby reducing the depth of team, and Chelsea fans are clamoring for changes. So with all the turmoil surrounding the team, the question is: is it time for Mourinho to go?
Only time will tell as Chelsea, and owner Roman Abramovich, have a very short fuse with losing managers and are not afraid to sack anyone. Since 2003, the year Abramovich took over the team, Chelsea has gone through 10 managers and no one manager has ever survived past their third year.
Mourinho has been the only manger to have come back to Chelsea and his love for his club is evident, but how many bad results will Abramovich be able to endure before he lets Mourinho go? The upcoming fixtures are not friendly to Chelsea either as they face Aston Villa, Dynamo Kyiv in the Ukraine for a Champions League match, West Ham away and Stoke away in a Capital One Cup draw.
Although Mourinho has warned Chelsea that he is “the best manager the club has ever had” and is asking for more time to make it past stormy waters, he must be feeling the pressure of pundits and fans turning against him. They need results fast or Mourinho could see himself out of West London for a second time in his career.
[Goal.com]
