MOURINHO RELISHES MORE OF THE SAME

Those Chelsea players who aren't still on international duty are now away resting and recovering after a season of record-breaking intensity in terms of match action, and it is just such extreme tests that Jose Mourinho missed during his time away from England.

The Portuguese was the manager when the previous record for games played was set - 64 in 2006/07 - which was beaten by five matches in the campaign recently completed, and he knows full well what the demands are on a top club in England. Some say those hold the game back in some ways, especially when it comes to contesting World Cups and European Championships in the summer months, and they do reduce time on the training pitch, but Mourinho is embracing the challenge on his return.

'I'm not saying it's right, I'm saying I love it, and sometimes you love things that aren't right,' he says.

'Would I prefer to have a week's holiday over Christmas, like I had in my time in Spain when I went to New York or Brazil? That's fantastic but I prefer to play. Give me three matches at Christmas!

'I was at home one week over Christmas watching Premier League football with envy. Is it right to play three consecutive matches? Maybe not but I love it.

'English football is the mother country of football, there's no doubt about that and the competitiveness is very high,' he adds as further explanation why he wanted to come back to these shores.

'I don't enjoy very much winning 6-0, I don't enjoy too much playing a league where you know you are playing against one other team and you know this is about 90 points, 92, 96, 100 points, 100 goals, 110 goals, 120 goals. If you make a little mistake and you lose a match you are in big trouble because your direct opponent doesn't lose any matches, and it's the same for them.

'The season before last, Barcelona with the number of points they had would have won every league, and they finished second. The same with Real Madrid this season. It's a two-horse race and that's a big difference from English football.

'Also the mentality of enjoying the 90 minutes of the game and pushing everybody to the maximum of their possibilities, and playing the extra competition of the Capital One Cup. Playing every three days with the Christmas period, the Easter period, the accumulation of matches, pushing people to the limit, I think that is fantastic.'

One of the players yet to go on holiday is Fernando Torres, a veteran of 64 Chelsea matches last season. He is still with Spain and Mourinho spoke yesterday about the need to meet and work with players before making decisions.

'While Fernando, Juan Mata and Cesar Azpilicueta are with the national team I don't want to contact them as I don't want to be misinterpreted. I have to wait until the end of the Confederations Cup, after that I will speak with him.

'He's a Chelsea player, he has a contract and he expressed himself already and said he wants to stay and work hard. He deserves that respect from me and from the club especially. The respect starts with speaking to him face to face and deciding what is best for all of us. If the best for all of us is for Fernando to stay then we will help him and get the best out of him.'

Mourinho did confirm when asked that John Terry's captaincy, which began full-time at the start of the manager's first season in 2004, continues.

'Last time John was the captain by a club decision, because he was born in the club and because of his personality on the pitch. I did a simple consultation with the players trying to feel opinions and everybody agreed.

'At this moment, when you say "my captain", it's not the real word. It's more Chelsea captain, because Chelsea captain is my captain, the board's captain, the fans' captain.

'John is the club captain; I'm more than happy he's the captain, the fans are more than happy he's the captain, so I think he has to be.

'Has he the armband? Only if he plays. If he isn't in the starting 11 he doesn't have the armband, but he's the captain. I didn't think for one second before on this but he has to be and he deserves to be, I'm happy for him to be.'

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Oduamadi targets Namibia goal

Nigeria forward Nnamdi Oduamadi hopes to add a second international goal in Wednesday's 2014 World Cup qualifier against Namibia.

Oduamadi's first was against Kenya, and proved decisive as it helped the Super Eagles snatch a point from the jaws of a near certain defeat in Calabar.

The Varese striker now says he hopes to get more. "I want to score against Namibia on Wednesday," Oduamadi said. "It felt good to score against Kenya, especially as it was such an important goal.

"Now I want to do it again if the coaches give me a chance to play and I listen to their instructions."

The team has been training under floodlights on the artificial turf of the Sam Nujoma Stadium in Windhoek, and will play at 20h00 Nigeria time.

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MOURINHO: REALISING POTENTIAL

During his Monday afternoon media conference at Stamford Bridge, Jose Mourinho outlined some of his initial thoughts on the plans for the team.

It is nine years on since he first arrived on the English football scene and although there is some familiarity in the Chelsea and the Premier League to which he returns, plenty is different as he is quick to acknowledge.

The club enjoyed knockout cup victories between 1997 and 2000 but when Mourinho came in 2004 we still had to learn how to win leagues - but that soon changed.

'Chelsea needed that last push in the direction of trophies and success,' he recalled today when asked about restoring the present team as genuine title challengers.

'There was a new owner and big investment and the average age of the players was perfect for that jump of quality. We did it well by winning and by probably, even after my departure, having that base that stayed in the club and helped them to reach more success in the future.

'If that happens I am more than happy as the job of the manager is not only to be focused on what you do when you are here but also on what you do for the legacy for the future.

'This time I arrive and victories and silverware is nothing new in the club. Since I left it has won the Premier League again and the Champions League, and more FA Cups and it is a moment for a completely different approach - not by losing my nature which is the nature of the club too, trying to win - but I think we are all prepared for a different era and a different profile of team.

'Of course there are still a few boys from my time before and it is always good to see these people that gave absolutely everything to me when I was here, but it is important to say that there is no privilege for them - but they know that already because they know my nature. They don't have an advantage over the other people.

'After that there is a group of boys that Chelsea did very well in the past years to get, with great quality, potential and a great future. I will be happy to work with them and try to improve them.

'Then after that, every club, especially a club like us, has the ambition to add a couple of new players to give some different qualities and to increase the competition in the squad, but I think the most important part of the job at the moment is around the improvement of the boys with big potential. I think I have the conditions to do that and I am more than happy to help.'

The manager wants to start working with the squad, even the players he knew previously, before making major decisions. Time changes people he said and watching Chelsea on TV at least 20 times a season is not enough to form opinions.

'The first thing is not to arrive here and say to Mr Abramovich and members of the board that I need a lot of money with a lot of zeros to change half of the team,' he emphasised.

'I have to start by knowing the players, being fair with them, giving them a chance and not committing injustices. A couple of new signings is normal and current practice for any club, but the main objective is to know them and improve what we have.'

Mourinho stressed that stability at Chelsea is best for both him at this stage in his career and for educating the 20-to-25-year-old players he holds in high regard. He returns to a club with fantastic structure, better in all different areas than before he reported.

'The older players - Frank Lampard, John Terry and Petr Cech - they have great quality in football terms and also great quality to feel they are very important for the balance and the development of the younger players,' he added.

He was asked by a Belgian reporter about the immediate future for two players who have been out on loan, Romelu Lukaku and Kevin De Bruyne.

'First of all I want to meet them and it's fair the players are the first to know about their futures from the manager and club, not by the media. I'm not just speaking in relation to Kevin or Romelu, but generally. I had the chance to speak with some of the players, others I didn't. I need to meet them, feel and make a decision which is best for me as a manager, for the players and for Chelsea.

'But Chelsea invested a lot in the players and it's my job to extract the best out of that investment. Both of them are ready to come and be part of my squad.'

Of course it is not only Chelsea that has changed while Mourinho has been in Italy and Spain, the competition has too and only Arsene Wenger remains in place in the Premier League from 2007.

'I'm a bit disappointed that I'm back and when I go to Old Trafford Sir Alex is not there as a manager, but I think David [Moyes] has the conditions and experience and protection from the club to do his job and do it well.

'I am happy he [Wenger] is there, of course I am. If he is there it is because he wants to be and the club and the fans and players want him to be there, and if they stick together it is fantastic. By not winning a major trophy in the last years shows even better how connected they are and it is a great example for a football club so I am more than happy.

'Brendan [Rodgers], Steve [Clarke] and Andre [Villas-Boas] aren't boys anymore,' he said of former Chelsea staff turned Premier League bosses.

'I won't be playing against them, Chelsea will be playing against Liverpool, Tottenham and West Brom, but I'm more than happy to play in the same league as they are and I'm more than happy to wish them all the best. I look forward to what the Premier League is. In the last three years I was in a two-horse race and now I've moved to a league where you lose more times, you lose more points and the competition is more open.

'When I arrived in 2004 Arsenal were the power and were a fantastic team, and after that it was us and Man United trying to go there.

'Now the picture is different. Man U are the champions, Man City were before them and when I was here first time they were not able to do that. And you have Arsenal and Tottenham coming up and Liverpool in the second season with Brendan will be there.

'So for everybody the competition starts by trying to finish top four, and then top three because it is better than top four, and then to try to be champions, and we will try.'

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MOURINHO: VERY GOOD FEELING

As he spoke to the media for the first time since being appointed Chelsea manager for a second time, Jose Mourinho expressed his delight at returning to Stamford Bridge, and his hope that it is the start of a long period in charge.

Seldom has an introductory press conference been greeted with such interest, with supporters outside in the hope of catching a glimpse of the Blues boss, camera crews reporting in the area since the early hours and the attendance inside as large as anyone could remember.

Mourinho cut a calm, composed figure as he discussed his appointment at length, and having been nicknamed 'The Special One' following a comment made at his first Chelsea press conference, he had an updated suggestion for those eager for a quick headline.

'I'm the happy one,' he said. 'Time flies, it looks like it was a couple of days ago but it was nine years ago and since then a lot has happened in my professional life.

'I have the same nature, I am the same person, I have the same heart and the same kind of emotions related to my passion for football and my job. In this moment I would describe myself as a very happy person. It's the first time I've arrived at a club where I already love the club.'

The Portuguese delivered our first title for 50 years in his debut season at the club, following it a year later with another Premier League triumph. He also won the 2007 FA Cup and two League Cups, as well as reaching the semi-finals of the Champions League on two occasions before his departure in the September of his fourth season. He is confident of more achievement at Stamford Bridge.

'I always trust my work, I know many of the people that belong to the club and I know the ambition and mentality that people have.

'My career was built and based on success, and in every club I was able to reach success, win trophies and leave a different kind of legacy, so I have to believe in that.

'The normal message to my players is to work hard, with quality, and that the club is much more important than ourselves. Normally, with hard work success arrives.

'I read and keep hearing I was fired, sacked and that we had a complete breakdown in our relationship, which isn't true,' he said of his departure in 2007.

'It was a mutual agreement at the time and we felt it was best for me and the club. It was a sad moment but I don't regret the decision because after I went to Inter where I had probably the best moment of my career.

'After that I went to Madrid where we have the record for the best team in Spanish history. For Chelsea things went well too, they were European champions for the first time.

'It was only because of the fact it was a mutual agreement and that there was no break in the relationship that I'm here today, it wouldn't have been possible if there was a complete break in the relationship.

'I'm back because we feel we are in a moment where we are ready to work together again, and in better conditions to work together, succeed and achieve what this club wants, which is stability.'

Mourinho was clearly more eager to look forward rather than dwelling on past achievements.

'We all want the same, we are heading in the same direction and it is a moment when there is maturity, a very good feeling and we have the same perspective for the future,' he said.

'My area is the sports area, but more now in the world of football you have to be deeply connected with other areas in the club, and I think we have the same kind of vision.

'I want to be respected for what I did in the past, of course, but I want to be loved for what I can do in the future, and the fans can know that I come here to do my best.'

Today marks a national day of celebration in Mourinho's native Portugal, with the country celebrating their rich history and culture.

Since leaving his homeland in 2004, his career has spanned three different countries, but after an exciting period, which has seen him lead his respective sides to countless trophies, the time has come, as he explained, to lay down some firm roots.

'I am Portuguese and I always love adventure like the Portuguese ones in the past,' he said. 'I am a bit of a navigator and I did what I wanted to do. I needed a special family, which I have, and they gave me the chance to move around.

'I wanted to do it, I wanted to win the three most important leagues and cups and I did it. People have other good things but the culture in football is something very important for the manager, and six or seven months ago I wanted to go to somewhere I enjoy it very much.

'It is up to me to show the club that I deserve to be here a long time, I hope I can go to the last day of this contract and if the club want for me to be here longer I will be very happy.

'You have to learn with experience. Sometimes people speak about older people in a negative way and I think experience in life is very important, especially if you use it in the right way.

'I analyse myself every day and I try to improve. I am the same but nine years is a big difference and when I arrived in 2004 I was pushed a lot in that first press conference to have a strong approach.

'Now you know me and my history and now I don't need that approach, I want to be calm and work the best I can and I think I am in the best moment in my career. I am so sorry the pre-season does not start tomorrow.'

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Mourinho: How I 'Damaged' Spanish Football

Jose Mourinho has hit back at claims he "damaged" Spanish football during his time at Real Madrid.

Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta told the media in Spain that he was not sorry to see Mourinho leave La Liga and accused him of doing "more harm than good."

"I damaged Spanish football by being the manager that broke Barcelona dominance," the Portugese coach said.

"They were dominant and dominant and dominant and it looked like it was a dominance without an end.

"Real Madrid won the cup final against Barcelona, Real Madrid win the Super Cup against Barcelona, Real Madrid won in Barcelona and Real Madrid won the championship which is the historical
championship of 100 points and 121 goals."

Mourinho also guided Real to the Champions League semi-finals in all three of his seasons in chargeand, while he failed to land the ultimate prize, insisted he was proud of his time in charge.

"We couldn't get the Champions League which was an ambition but it's very difficult to do it," he
added.

"You never know when you are going to do and it's so difficult at Madrid that before I arrived they
couldn't reach not even the quarter final for six years.

"We got into the semis, we couldn't win it. Other teams did it, I'm happy Chelsea did it, I'm happy
Bayern did it because they deserve it after such a fantastic season.

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