John Terry has came out fighting in support of Jose Mourinho and refused to contemplate the embattled Chelsea manager being sacked.
Mourinho is under pressure from all angles – not least to retain his job amid a miserable run of nine losses in 17 matches in all competitions – and declined to reveal if he had spoken to owner Roman Abramovich this week, merely pointing to the length of his contract.
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The Portuguese has an ally in captain Terry, who insisted Mourinho has the players’ support contrary to rumours of a Cesc Fabregas-led player revolt and despite disciplinary disputes with the Football Association and being the subject of a personal legal claim from former first-team doctor Eva Carneiro.
“I can assure you now that the players are 100 percent behind the manager,” said Terry, who was speaking ahead of tonight’s Champions League Group G clash with Dynamo Kiev.
Mourinho was subject of the first managerial vote of confidence in Abramovich’s 12-year ownership on October 5, but Chelsea have one win in five matches since, against free-falling Aston Villa.
The club’s position has not changed, but the date with Dynamo and Saturday’s Premier League fixture at Stoke could determine whether or not Mourinho has a future at Stamford Bridge.
Asked how he and the players would feel if Mourinho did leave, Terry said: “It’s not going to come to that. The club have shown faith in the best manager in the history of this football club. It’s not what ifs. I’m adamant we’re going to turn this round and he will be in charge for the rest of the season and long after I’ve finished playing at this football club. For me he’s the right man to take this club forward. That’s the only way I’m thinking.”
Last Saturday’s 3-1 loss to Liverpool was Chelsea’s sixth in 11 Premier League games, leaving the reigning champions 15th in the table.
Asked how much time he has left as boss, Mourinho, who signed a new contract until June 2019 on the eve of the season, said:
“Four years. In this case, three years and seven months.”
JT says can take criticism from top ex-players like Rio Ferdinand, Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville, but not ones like Robbie Savage. #CFC
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) November 3, 2015
Mourinho says he has had support from friends within and outwith football and was reminded by a friend of comments he made after leading Porto to the Champions League title in May 2004.
“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,” Mourinho said.
“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.”
Mourinho insisted his confidence had not been impacted by the run of results and he would remain steadfast to his methods, which the players had not questioned.
“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),” Mourinho said.
