Jose Mourinho is back where he belongs at Chelsea

AN emotional Jose Mourinho last night told Chelsea fans “I am one of you” as he finally returned as manager and immediately set his sights on winning the Premier League for a third time.

 
Jose Mourinho is back in charge at Chelsea

Chelsea confirmed the worst-kept secret in football as they announced that Mourinho would be returning to the club who sacked him six years ago – and now he wants to bring rare stability to Stamford Bridge by “staying for a long time”.

When Mourinho arrived in 2004, he famously labelled himself the Special One and promised work, love and passion. Last night, he said: “It is exactly the same message. But now I am one of you – and that makes a difference.

“There will be five or six teams with ambition to win the Premier League, I hope I can beat the competition.

“It was an easy decision. I asked the boss, ‘Do you want me back?’ and the boss asked me, ‘Do you want to come back?’ In a couple of minutes the decision was made. To be at the same time a Chelsea fan and a Chelsea manager is a fantastic feeling. It was a difficult moment when I left because I love it here. But I wanted to win in Spain and Italy and I did that.

“We are ready to marry again. From a human point of view I left something here.

“I have the same nature, but I’m much more mature now. I’m ready to stay here for a long time. Stability is what this squad needs. I hope I can give them that.”

Mourinho, who arrived in London on Sunday night after taking his last game in charge at Real Madrid, signed a £48 million four-year contract – the longest deal owner Roman Abramovich has given any manager – yesterday.

Roman Abramovich has put aside his differences with Jose Mourinho

To be at the same time a Chelsea fan and a Chelsea manager is a fantastic feeling.

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho

In the six years since being sacked following a fall out with Abramovich in 2007, Mourinho moved to Inter Milan and Real, winning three league titles, two domestic cups and the Champions League.

But Mourinho and Abramovich have patched up their differences and the Portuguese was texting the Russian in January – as exclusively revealed by the Daily Express – asking for his old job back.

Mourinho said: “I like the fact we have some players here from the beginning. They have to always be a part of the Chelsea soul. I’ve come with a four-year contract, so with the age of players like Eden Hazard, Oscar and David Luiz, it will be good to work with them. I want to start from ground zero, work hard and build a different team from the team I built in the past. I want to have that pressure.”

His first spell in charge will be hard to follow. Mourinho won back-to-back league titles and, in his third season, won the League Cup and the FA Cup.

Mourinho will bring his regular coaching staff with him in Rui Faria, Silvino Louro and Jose Morais, but Steve Holland is set to stay as No 2.

The Special One has not presented Abramovich with a long list of players he wants, only a top-line striker, with Stefan Jovetic of Fiorentina his favoured option.

 

 

copied from express.co.uk