Embattled Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho on Tuesday addressed the media ahead of a potentially pivotal week for his future. Here are some of the highlights:
On whether he had spoken to owner Roman Abramovich since last Saturday's loss to Liverpool:
I don't have to answer you if I was with the owner or not.
On how long he has left as Chelsea manager:
Four years. In this case, three years and seven months or something like that.
On what is going wrong at Chelsea:
Yes, I know (why). It's a combination of factors and some of them I can't, I don't want, to touch them. It's not one reason. One reason would be easy to fix.
On what he has learned from Chelsea's terrible start to the season:
I try to be (a better coach) every day. Not because of this. If I'm only a better coach because of bad results, I would be a very bad coach, because in the past 15 years I would never improve. Yes, it's new for me. That's why I am a good one (manager). If I was a bad one it would come before (now).
On coping with Chelsea's miserable run of form:
In 2004 after winning the Champions League final with Porto, I said that one day in my career bad results will come and I will face the bad results with the same honesty and dignity that I'm facing now as European champion. I resisted well to the nature of my job, to the nature of football - 11 years waiting for this. It took time, but came in a moment where I am stable and I am strong to face it.
On whether he had behaved with honesty and dignity, given the Football Association disciplinary cases against him:
The way in this moment I'm going to show my dignity is not to answer you.
On reports a Chelsea player would rather lose than win for him:
Look, I think it's a very sad accusation, because you are accusing a player or more than one player, I don't know of dishonesty. If I accuse you of being a dishonest journalist, I think you'd be very upset and probably you'd take legal action. It's a question for the players, not for me.
On Chelsea's chances of progressing from Champions League Group G. The Blues are third at the halfway stage ahead of Wednesday night's clash with Dynamo Kiev:
I am completely convinced that we are going to qualify and I think (in) first (place). Our situation in the Champions League is not phenomenal, but it's an absolutely normal situation. Even the match tomorrow is not a must win. It's a must-not lose.
Source: PA
