Mourinho talks of tension
16 Mar 2007 - 10:41:39
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- Mourinho talks of tension
Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has admitted there were "tensions" at Stamford Bridge around the turn of the year as the club failed to bolster their injury-ravaged squad.
Mourinho cut a frustrated figure after being unable to draft in cover for injured captain John Terry, Petr Cech and Joe Cole during the January transfer window.
Statements from the Portuguese coach repeatedly hinted at problems behind the scenes at the Premiership champions and led to rumours of a rift between Mourinho and owner AS Roman Abramovich.
Mourinho has now spoken out for the first time over the period in the season that saw them hand the initiative to Manchester United in the title race after a series of disappointing results.
"I admit that the period between the end of December and the whole month of January may have caused some tensions," he told Portuguese newspaper Correio de Manha.
"The team was on the limits, I was forced into constant adaptations, although we were involved in every competition.
"There were problems to resolve and, given the owner's money, we had hoped they would be resolved, but this did not happen.
"The reasons given for the club not signing players were alleged differences with Abramovich, that he had stopped going to games, but no-one worried about finding out why.
"It was Christmas, he has family and there could have been so many reasons, but people interpreted it as they wanted."