In-depth: Is Jose Mourinho's time up as Chelsea manager?
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Updated 04/10/2015 at 10:26 GMT
After another damaging defeat and an extraordinary post-match rant, things look bleak for Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho - but will he leave Stamford Bridge?
Jose Mourinho stands behind the Chelsea bench
Image credit: Reuters
What happened?
First, Chelsea lost 3-1 to Southampton at Stamford Bridge. It was their fourth Premier League defeat in eight matches, leaving them a dismal 16th in the table.
They also lost to Porto in the Champions League, and a dismal week was compounded by continued criticism of Jose Mourinho after doctor Eva Carneiro's departure from Chelsea.
Then came the post-match interview...
Asked, "What did you make of your team's performance today?" Mourinho responded with a seven minute monologue, which you can read in full here:
His two main points:
1-Referees, the FA and the media are against Chelsea
I think you must be honest and to say clearly, the referees are afraid to give decisions for Chelsea.
Why? Because when they give there is always a question mark from you, there is always a question, there is always a critic so we are always punished.
If the FA wants to punish me they can punish me they do not punish other managers, they punish me it's not a problem for me.
2-He won't resign and Chelsea would be idiots to sack him
If the club wants to sack me they have to sack me because I am not running away from my responsibilities.
If the club sacks me they sack the best manager this club has had and secondly the message is again the message of bad results the manager is guilty. And this is the message not just these players but the ones before, got during a decade I think this a moment for everyone to assume their responsibilities.
Does he have a point?
Part one, the refs
You can sympathise with his frustration over Diego Costa's ban based on video evidence. But as far as yesterday's game goes, he is wrong. He claims Radamel Falcao had a "huge penalty" denied - but certainly no huger than Southampton's penalty claims for challenges on Virgil van Dijk and Sadio Mane. Referee Robert Madley was at least consistent and did not award any penalties.
Part two, being sacked
It's pretty bold stuff, basically daring Roman Abramovich to sack him. He may be right that Chelsea should not send out a signal that the manager (rather than the players) is always to blame for bad results, but it is surely not his place to say so. It certainly seems to confirm the feeling that Mourinho and his squad do not see eye-to-eye at present.
Chelsea deserved to lose, then?
They did, being totally outplayed by Southampton in the second half. Mourinho played his part, too, bringing Nemanja Matic off the bench at half-time only to remove him on 73 minutes.
And what's this 'third season curse' I've been hearing about?
The theory is basically that Mourinho is so intense and demanding that while he brings short-term success, he always ends up alienating players and the board.
A look at his career:
- Porto - left after two seasons
- Chelsea - lost Premier League title in third season (but won FA Cup and League Cup), sacked in September
- Internazionale - left after two seasons
- Real Madrid - left after losing title in third season (but won Super Cup)
There might be some truth in it, but the theory is based on a sample size of two (Chelsea first time around and Real Madrid) - and while the third season of both reigns were marked by conflict, it's a mark of Mourinho's incredible success that two second-place finishes with extra cup success are seen as the worst seasons of his career... until now.
So that's it. He's gone, hasn't he?
Not necessarily. Reports on Sunday morning suggest he has survived a Chelsea board meeting and will continue to lead the team. The bookmakers seem to agree, making him only third favourite to be the next manager to go.
Next manager to leave post odds:
- Dick Advocaat (Sunderland) - 1/4
- Brendan Rodgers (Liverpool) - 9/1
- Jose Mourinho (Chelsea) - 10/1
- Steve McClaren (Newcastle) - 14/1
What next?
Chelsea will surely welcome the two-week international break to give everyone a breather. They resume with a home game against struggling Aston Villa.
It looks straightforward. On paper, at least...
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