Mourinho given all clear
12 Mar 2007 - 14:19:46
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- Mourinho given all clear
Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho will not face action following an alleged offensive comment aimed at referee Mike Riley, the Football Association has confirmed.
Mourinho was reportedly involved in a half-time confrontation with the official during Sunday's 3-3 FA Cup quarter-final stalemate with Tottenham at Stamford Bridge.
The Portuguese coach had been accused of swearing at Riley in his native tongue with his team trailing 3-1 at the time - an accusation that Mourinho played down by claiming he hadn't meant to deliberately offend the official.
But the Chelsea chief will not face action from the FA after a spokesman confirmed: "We have spoken to the referee who has clarified that there is no issue for us to pursue."
After the match, Mourinho defended his actions, saying: "If you listen to me speaking, I say the kind of word you mention 10 times in every 15 words.
"If you have a microphone on the dugout I say that during the game 20 times easy. The word can be abusive if you understand it as an abusive word.
"I tell the word to my players and myself when I am not happy. It is something I say when the ball hits the post. I say it 50 times in a game, 50 times in training and I don't want to be offensive.
"I can be emotional but I am polite. I never want to be offensive with somebody. It is the same word I use to criticise the ball when it goes out of play."