José Mourinho returns to Chelsea on Sunday insisting his emotional attachment with the club will never be broken and indicating he should also be given some of the credit for Carlo Ancelotti’s 2010 title success at Stamford Bridge, pointing out it was “the team I left behind”.
Mourinho said it was important the Chelsea fans understood he was now “Manchester United 100%” but he also acknowledged he did not yet have the same connection with the Old Trafford crowd that he did with the supporters at Stamford Bridge.
“Connections start before titles are won,” he said. “But it is success that brings empathy between supporters and managers and makes that connection become really strong. I have a three-year contract and if I am here for three years the people will know that I have given everything to the club and that I am a professional, dedicated coach who gives himself 24 hours a day to United. But if at the end of the three years I haven’t won a single piece of silverware for them, they will say ‘great guy, good coach, we like him, but we feel nothing special about him’.
“Chelsea have won four Premier League titles in their history. Three of them were won with me and the other one was won by the team I left behind. I took them to Wembley, I took them to Cardiff, I took them to cup finals. So there is a connection based on empathy – but built on success.
“In the end, when my last two or three months at the club were a period of bad results, the fans kept that empathy and remembered our relationship. That is something I don’t forget. And that is something I will always be grateful about because, with me, they have always behaved in a fantastic way.”
Mourinho will be going back to Stamford Bridge for the first time since his second spell at the club ended in the sack, with the 2014-15 champions suddenly languishing in the bottom half of the table.
“There is one thing that Chelsea fans can be sure of now: I am Manchester United 100%,” he said. “I want to win with United and make them the best but I will always be respectful to Chelsea and it doesn’t matter what happens, I will never lose that feeling of respect towards the club.
“I have loved every club that I have worked for. I have this professional heart that makes me connect 101% with my club. When I was growing up in Portugal, I was not born a Porto supporter, but I still gave my life to Porto. I gave my life to Madrid, I gave my life to Inter and I gave my life to Chelsea. Now I give my life to United. That is my professional nature.”
Mourinho also looked ahead to the EFL Cup tie against Manchester City and another meeting with Pep Guardiola, having lost 2-1 when the sides met in the league last month. However, he made it clear Wednesday’s game was not a priority.
“It is the League Cup and, honestly, in the four competitions that is the least important. My approach to that match is secondary. We want to win the game and win the League Cup – I have won it three times before and I will never throw it away. But if you ask me if my focus is on that match one little bit, I would say no. The schedule has been tough, but at least City are also playing on Sunday so Pep has the same problems I have.”
