And that is all from me. Keep on commenting below the line and keep on enjoying your day. Bye!
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And with that, JT was gone.
What has hurt the most? Can you prove people wrong, personally?
On the first bit, it’s a case of, for me, we are where we are as a group. I’ve come under criticism, individually, from certain players and individuals, players I’ve looked up to and played alongside. I’ve taken that on the chin: Rio, Carra, Neville, the very best I’ve come up against in the game. I take that on the chin. When others speak, maybe I don’t take it on the chin. When players have not had a career, played at a really bad level in their career ... Robbie Savage being one. He’s dug me out a couple of times. You take it as a footballer, as an individual. I’ll take it from the Rios, Carraghers and Neville. All day long. From others? Nah.
Banter. JT style.
Terry: "when people like Rio, Carra, Neville speak, I listen. When players who haven't that career? No. Robbie Savage being one."
— Miguel Delaney (@MiguelDelaney) November 3, 2015
You’ve seen them [the managers] all come and go. Is this situation different now?
I’m not saying it’s different because results speak for themselves. The table doesn’t lie. We know where we are. We know we certainly don’t want to be in this position in a couple weeks in the league. The pressure is there. It’s difficult. But having the best people, Eden and the manager, in our football club, making this club and the Premier League the best ... the pressure is going to be there always. The spotlight gets bigger and bigger. That’s the way football is. When you lose, you lose. There’s no worse feeling. I was supposed to see Frank after the game on Saturday but I just wanted to be on my own, to get home, so I didn’t. Pressure comes with it. That’s the way the game is.
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Chelsea fight the world. Usually it leads to success. This season you’re looking up at most of it with that same mentality. How does that affect you? This is all new to you, too?
It doesn’t affect me, really. You listen and observe things that happen on the outside, for sure. That’s where I want to be: we don’t want to be fighting the world. You want to be loved, as an individual and as a club for what we’ve achieved in the game. The refs... that’s why I brought up the referees. We want grown up men conversations with the referees. You can have those conversations. Mark Clattenrbug is open to that. There are no better than him. You want to be honest and open, deal with the bad and the good, and move forward. We want to be up there fighting for Premier Leagues, fighting for Champions League, and to be loved around the world. Not just in England. That starts with winning football matches. But we know what we need to do, and that starts by needing to strip it all back and start winning football matches.
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“We want to be loved. We want to be loved around the world, not just in England. But we need to be winning.”
JT wants to be loved. More on that anon.
How would you feel personally if this form cost José his job?
It’s not going to come to that. The club have shown faith in the best manager with the best history at this club. In all aspects, of all the managers I’ve worked with, he’s by far and a long, long way, the best I’ve worked with. We are going to turn it around. No ifs, no buts. I’m sure, and I’m adamant, that we’ll turn this around and he’ll be in charge for the rest of the season and long after I’ve finished playing for this club. He is the man to take this club forward to where we want to be.
JT is asked about José’s deflecting tactics.
He’s been good at that over the years, for sure. It takes it away from us, protects us. That’s the key word. We need to be better. He’s been protecting us. We’ve heard all this about Jose and Eden... For me, we’re talking about the best manager I’ve seen in a long time at this club, and Eden being one of the best players I’ve seen at this club. There’s been talk of them leaving the club and going elsewhere, but for me thay have to be in the Premier League. We have to keep the best people in English football, making it the best football in the world. … The only we do that is with the best manager, Jose. And Eden is by far and away one of the best players I’ve worked with.
Terry: "Mourinho's the best manager we could have and Hazard one of best players in the world. Need to keep both."
— Miguel Delaney (@MiguelDelaney) November 3, 2015
Terry on Mourinho getting sacked: "It's not going to come to that. The club's shown faith. He's the best. We're going to turn it around."
— Miguel Delaney (@MiguelDelaney) November 3, 2015
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"John Terry could be better and I need to be back up to where I was last season," says, er, John Terry.
— Owen Gibson (@owen_g) November 3, 2015
José keeps having a go at referees ... [there is a] sense that he’s struggling to handle this slump. Is it just because he’s not used to losing, or does he need to handle it better? Is there a sense of paranoia?
I don’t think it’s that. Again, I’d stress, for managers whether you are winning or losing, you have to come out and face you guys. If you guys consistently want the managers to speak honestly and openly, without getting fined or punished... we’d all get boring answers otherwise. The fans want to see that passion, that he cares. There have been decisions that have gone against us, and there will be some that go for us. I had one at West Brom where Mark Clattenburg sent me off. We agreed to disagree. I saw him on Saturday again and brought it up again, and he was still adamant it was a sending off, I was still adamant it wasn’t. It was done privately, behind the scenes. Enclosed. With the manager, he has to put his face in front of the TV and that passion does come out. That’s what the fans want to see. But that’s because he cares about the football club. He gets punished, he gets fined. But it’s difficult for the refs as well. They have a really tough job at the moment, making quick decisions. It’s not just our manager who does it. But if you guys want honest, immediate answers after the game, give him a bit of freedom.
Has the role of captain changed [during this crisis]? How are you coping?
It’s been difficult. And unfamiliar for me. But, again, things have happened and I’ll do my normal captain’s role in the dressing room and the clb that stays amongst us. Personally, my form, I could certainly be better for sure. John Terry could be better and I need to be back up to where I was last season, and my stats and records show over my last year. If we can all do that, we’ll be in a better position. As a captain it’s been difficult, but I’m prepared to front up to you guys because I’m sure we’re going to get out of it.
If you found out that one player would rather lose than win for this manager, what would you say or do to them?
Again, listen, in my whole football career I’ve never heard a player come out with those words. In my whole career. Whether it’s been going bad or really bad. It’s ridiculous I have to sit here and talk about it. ... I’ve seen players’ faces with the disappointment after results, the feeling we’ve let the club and the manager and the fans down. The player wouldn’t be let out of the dressing room, let’s be honest. It wouldn’t go down too well, would it.
Did you see JT’s face when he was asked that question? ‘Twas an interesting one.
Were the players upset when Dr Carneiro lost her job?
[Mr Suit:]
We are unable to comment on that matter as it is the subject of legal proceedings.
You’ve been here before with other managers. Do you get the sense José is under real pressure? How are you helping him?
I go back to that: he’s under pressure because of the way we’re performing. He can do all the work he can in the training field and team meetings, but once we step over the white line it’s on us. We know we need to be better, collectively, for this club and for him. He will take a lot of the responsibility on his shoulders, and that’s unfair. It’s on all of us collectively, not just on him. We are prepared to fight. Anyone at the games can see that. The desire, the fight that the fans want to see... the fans want to see people putting their bodies on the line for their football club. That’s the bare minimum we can provide going forward at this football club.
Are they really that bad?
@guardian_sport @ianmccourt I'd rather switch channel than watch his team play
— fullmetal007 (@fullmetal007) November 3, 2015
Are the team still responding to his methods?
The manager’s work for me comes pre-season. At this stage of the season, we’re playing Saturday, a few games to recover, then playing again. There isn’t an opportunity for the manager to do tactical work or other bits. That work’s been done preparing fo rhte season ahead. We know where we need to be to be doing it on the football field. In the last three or four appearances, we’ve been unlucky not to come away with anyhting. I’ve known him a long time and he’s always the same. He’s very demanding. He wants the players to win, on the training field. He’s devastated after poor results, taking it on his own shoulders. But we’re the ones on the pitch who haven’t been good enough. Us as players, the fans, the club, we will bounce back from this and climb up that league table. I’m sure of that.
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What will it take to turn it around?
It’s going to take a dressing room that stays together, sticks together. What we’ve seen in the last two or three days, ridiculous stories about what’s happening within the club and the dressing room. I can assure you the players are 100% behind the manager. We are together. Anyone who has been ot the last three or four games can see the way we’re playing is turning. We weren’t good enough at the beginning of the season, but things are on the turn. And we’ve been unlucky not to get one or two results. We will turn things around. Together is the most important thing: that we stay together in the dressing room.
How do you explain Chelsea’s start to the season?
It’s difficult for us to pinpoint, as a group, one thing. For me, it’s a lot of collective things put together. First and foremost, the players will stand up and say – and I will personally – that we’ve not been good enough. We’ve not played well enough, and we take that on the shoulders. We know where we are in the league and the Champions League group, and we know what we need to do to get out of it. That relies on us, as players, not the players.
JT: 'The players and me personally can say we have not been good enough. It is not the manager's responsibility.' #CFC
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) November 3, 2015
John Terry: 'The players are 100% behind the manager. We are together.' #CFC
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) November 3, 2015
JT says we have deserved more from our last four or five games and he is sure results will improve soon. #CFC
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) November 3, 2015
JT says that he can assure you that the players are “100%” behind the manager. You’ll sleep better tonight knowing that, won’t you?
And like that he was gone. Next up is JT.
Who was that friend who messaged you? Ferguson went through runs like this – have you had any messages from him?
Look, my friend is not a football person. And I’m not going to tell you which football people called me or sent me SMS because that would be unfair with some of them who I might forget. So it’s better not to say. I’ve had messages from friends. Some are football people. Some are not. But I don’t have to (tell you).
José is then asked about team news ahead of the match and qualification.
I think Chelsea will finish first in this group. I think, if you don’ finish first, we’ll finish second. But I’m completely convinced we are going to qualify, and I think first. I think first. But the reality is that the game tomorrow is not even a game we have to win. Because a draw tomorrow, with two victories in the last two matches, we would qualify. No doubt, because Dynamo have to play against Porto and they both cannot win. So even this match is not a must win. It’s a must not lose, but not a must win. So our situation in the Champions League is not phenomenal, but it’s absolutely normal. We have an important game tomorrow, but it’s not a game we need to win like, for example, in a knockout match. I’m convinced we can finish first. That’s what I think. If not first, then second.
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[To the suit] Why don’t you arrange a press conference with a director to reaffirm support in Jose?
We already made our decision quite clear in the statement we put out a while ago.
Has this run affected your confidence in any way?
No.
Why?
You asked me yes or no, I answered you ‘no’. No [I won’t expand]. You asked me yes or no, and I answered no.
The players have asked you to play in a different way ... is that true?
No.
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You always knew there would be a blip at some stage ... do you think you have handled it with dignity?
You know the way I am going to show my dignity in this moment? By not answering you. That’s how I will show my dignity.
You’ve had 11 years to prepare for this bad run, and you’re strong and stable. Why are results not turning around? This is more than a blip ... Big football problems?
I don’t want to say much more. I said already it’s a combination of factors. It’s not one reason. One reason would be easy to fix. It’s not one reason. It’s a combination of factors. I don’t want to say more than that.
How easy is self-reflection for anyone?
How easy is self-reflection for you? And what do you need to do differently to be a better manager?
To do what I did all my life. Which is to study and, in my case, it’s difficult to study from others. When you reach my level, it’s difficult to learn from others. You have to learn from yourself, with your own experiences, day by day, analysing your work. That’s why I have a staff of assistants to discuss every detail of our job. I learn with it day by day, with the experiences which come every day.
“Sad news.” At least José has not lost his sense of humour, eh?
Finally, some good news for Chelsea fans.
Falcao had, today, an important injury. Not so important as the ones he had previously, but an important muscular injury and he will be out for a few weeks, so there’s no point speaking about him. Just to give you this sad news.
Are you going to be a better coach for this?
I try to be every day. Not because of this. I try to be every day. If I’d only become a better coach because of bad results, then I’d be a really bad coach because, in the last 15 years, I’d never have improved. But I try and improve every day, analyse every detail of my work every day, preparing sessions, analysing matches, preparing matches. Every day. This is new for me. That’s why I’m a good one. I’ve not experienced this before. Yesterday a friend sent me some quotes of my press conference after the Champions League final in May 2004. I’d completely forgotten about it. In May 2004 I said that, one day in my career, bad results would come. I said that in 2004 after winning the Champions League final with Porto. One day the bad results will come and I’ll face the bad results with all the same honesty and dignity that I’m facing now as a European champions. May 2004. So, 11 years later, I resisted well to the nature of my job and the nature of football. 11 years waiting for this. It took time, but it’s come in a moment when I’m stable and strong to face it.
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Oh no! There goes my feed ... no wait, it’s back. I did miss some stuff though. Bear with me.
Jose: 'I try to be a better coach every day. I try to analyse every detail of my work every day. That's why I'm a good one.' #CFC
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) November 3, 2015
“Why are the results so different [from last season]?” wonders one pressman.
I can’t tell you why because I’ll be here a long time. It’s a combination of factors. Some of them I can’t, I don’t even want to touch them. And yes I know.” Are they all football related?” the same person wonders. “Everything is football related, right. We don’t want to blame social or political problems in some corner of the globe, you don’t want to blame these aspects or bring these aspects to football problems. So everything is football related, of course.
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“I think the fruit you need already exists,” says James. “The much maligned durian fruit, sharp and prickly on the outside and on the inside it reeks so bad that’s it’s illegal to carry on public transport in Taiwan.”
“How have the players responded since defeat on Saturday? [Are they still] responding still to your methods? How?”
Yes. Giving their best every minute of every training session. Giving solidarity in between all of us. Fantastic personal relationship. Very good professional relationship. Training always in the limits of the quality and the effort. And always with the strong desire to win the next match, which is what we’re going to try and do tomorrow.
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He is now asked about those nasty reports about certain players not playing for him. He says that he cannot answer and that it is something that the press will have to ask the players, not him. A club suit then butts in to give out stink about the BBC for reporting those comments.
José is asked if he has been hanging out with the owner. “I don’t have to answer you,” he says. How long do you think you have? “Four years,” he replies.
With a swift slam of the door, he is in. Let’s go.
Mark Judd has been in touch. “Chelsea is currently a fruit that is prickly on the outside and bitter on the inside.” Currently?
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That bad, eh?
@ianmccourt Not a fruit, but clearly things are going Leeds shaped
— Fredrik Öqvist (@Chinajinrong) November 3, 2015
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The gentlepeople of the fourth estate are gathered. It’s almost time.
An exciting press conference update for you. If reports are to be believed then José will be joined by captain, leader, legend and the league’s best centre back John Terry.
Good afternoon (just about)
Normally, the sort of situation that Chelsea find themselves in would be described as pear shaped. However, given the scale of crisis at the club, the fines, the dressing-room discord, the miserable defeat after miserable defeat, a new shape and/or fruit will have to be invented to describe just how dire their straits are. Send your suggestions for that to the above address and while we wait for that, we’ll have the latest from José Mourinho’s latest Chelsea presser. Let’s hope he says more than he did to Des Kelly, eh?
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