Jose Mourinho Returns as Chelsea Manager!!!

[Jezza]

MOURINHO APPOINTED

Chelsea Football Club is delighted to announce the appointment of Jose Mourinho as First Team Manager.

Mourinho has signed a four-year contract and will return to the club where he won two Premier League titles, an FA Cup and two League Cups between 2004 and 2007.

Ron Gourlay, Chelsea FC Chief Executive, said: 'I am delighted to welcome Jose back to Chelsea. His continued success, drive and ambition made him the outstanding candidate.

It is our aim to keep the club moving forward to achieve greater success in the future and Jose is our number one choice as we believe he is the right manager to do just that.

'He was and remains a hugely popular figure at the club and everyone here looks forward to working with him again.'

Since leaving Chelsea in 2007, the 50-year-old Portuguese has worked in Italy with Inter and Spain with Real Madrid, lifting three league championships, two domestic cups and the Champions League.

Originally appointed at Stamford Bridge in 2004, immediately after winning Europe's top competition with Porto, he quickly achieved success securing his first trophy for the club as early as February 2005, when we beat Liverpool 3-2 after extra-time in Cardiff to win the Carling Cup. We went on to win the league that season with a record 95 points and a record low of just 15 goals conceded in 38 games.

The club celebrated consecutive championships in our centenary 2005/06 season, secured with a 3-0 win over Manchester United in late April, and the next campaign we were able to add the Carling Cup with victory over Arsenal in Cardiff, and the FA Cup when United were beaten again in the first senior game at the new Wembley.

Mourinho departed by mutual consent in September 2007, going on to develop his already impressive CV by winning the Serie A twice in two years and the Champions League with Inter, before joining Real Madrid in 2010, where he lifted both La Liga and the Copa Del Rey, ending his stay in Spain yesteday.

He brings three coaching staff with him in Rui Faria, Silvino Louro and Jose Morais. Each carries the title of Assistant First Team Coach and will work alongside current first team staff Steve Holland, Christophe Lollichon and Chris Jones.

The new manager will be officially presented in a press conference at Stamford Bridge on Monday 10 June, further details of which will follow in due course

http://www.chelseafc.com/news-article/a ... -appointed



WELCOME BACK JOSE!!!

[HAL]

Was the trip worth it?

[sixpoints]

Is it going to be like cracking on to old flame again after a couple of years apart?
Will the magic still be there for our love birds Roman and Jose??
I've got a feeling that it will be a head over heels romance again initially, giddy head spins, romps in the park running hand in hand....

But it will all end in tears eventually for our two love birds as these things usually do.......

[Jezza]

The way Jose conducted himself in his first interview back at the club, I couldn't be more prouder as a Chelsea fan. He said all the right things and he made us and the fans feel more a part of this club. The way Jose was constantly referring to Chelsea as "we" even when he wasn't coaching them just goes to show how much he loves and has missed the club over the year. You could see that he has a lot of respect for Inter Milan as well, but he barely mentioned Real Madrid which doesn't surprise me.

The things he said in his interview and the way he presented himself made me very positive for our future. Firstly, he sees what is required to be the top club of England, he's eager to work with the new players especially the likes of Mata, Hazard, Oscar and Luiz. Speaking of Luiz, that just proved how the media once again tries to undermine our club and make it seem disjointed. It failed yet again. His constant smile shows his eagerness to be here as our manager and the fact that he said it was an 'easy decision' makes me feel even better that he has no doubts about being here.

Now one of the other things that I noticed which really makes me happy is the fact that Jose has been referred to as our 'first team manager' and not as our 'first team coach'. This to me suggests he will have a greater involvement in our transfers and I'm very happy to see this is the case because this resulted in his eventual departure at the club the first time round.

I love how the critics and fellow opposition supporters are now sh*tting themselves in fear. A lot of them are attempting to downplay the significance of this appointment and are trying to find absurd excuses as to why he won't last in the long-term. In my opinion, the only way Jose won't last is even if there is a bust-up between him and the owner, otherwise it's going to work out really well for us.

The reasons why he'll succeed is because he has young and very talented squad coming through which will only just keeping better as time goes on, he has the backing of the board and Roman to succeed and I'm sure they'll give him adequate time to stamp his authority on the side, he has the complete backing and love from the supporters which is crucial for the manager and player morale, this is the 'second coming' and hence both Jose and Roman will have learnt from their past mistakes, Jose has greater involvement in the transfer department, but I'm a little bit weary of how he'll work with Michael Emenalo, but maybe it'll work out and he seems motivated to be here for the long haul as he emphasised in his interview that he's won trophies in Portugal, Italy and Spain and this was one of his future goals as our manager the first time round, so I think he's motivated to be here for the long haul.

In regards to expectations, I think our team will massively improve this season from the last few years but the idea of winning the title in his first year will be tough, but clearly not impossible and considering Jose is the 'special one' it wouldn't surprise me if we succeeded in the end. Now it's time to get down to business and hopefully he can reunite with some of his older players and start getting to know the newer players such as Mata, Hazard, Oscar, Luiz, Lukaku etc. I can see all these players taking their game to another step this season.

Even though it's not a major thing, it's wonderful to see that Jose hasn't lost his sense of humour after watching that interview.

This is the most excited I've been for an upcoming season since the 2004-2005 season and this was when we were at our peak. It's finally happened and it still feels so surreal. JOSE REALLY IS BACK!!!!

[Funkadelic]

The special one returns! Great to have him back in the epl. Will be interesting to see what he does with the squad and tactics, since he left I don't feel any of the managers that came and went could really impose themselves on the team like Jose can. I think Luiz could be handy as defensive mid pairing with ramires. You have creative players in mata, Oscar and hazard who can all play central and attacking mid or play out wide in hazards case. Keen to see what Jose does with his strikers, would like to see lukaku come back, then if you sign another striker I think Torres or ba will be sold with one kept for cover. Also the young Belgium keeper courtois, kids been playing out of his skin for athletico Madrid, which brings us to the old guard terry, frank the tank, cole, cech, Jose will show them the respect they deserve as Chelsea legends, while ushering in a new era. Will be exiting for sure!

[Jezza]

Good post Funkadelic . I agree with all of that. Jose certainly has a few dilemmas in regards to the balance of his side. The one I'm most curious about is whether Courtois will be playing for us in this upcoming season, even though we already have a quality goalkeeper at the moment in Petr Cech. Courtois has been brilliant in Spain with At.Madrid.

Apparently there are rumours that we're close to signing Cavani from Napoli. I'd be ecstatic if this occurs.

[Funkadelic]

Yeah Cavani is an interesting one. Napoli signed him to a deal until 2017, there is a transfer release clause but it will cost 63 million euro, plus they will have to take on his contract so it's in the ball park of 85-90 million. A lot of clubs circling though, personally I think that's crazy money for someone who while very good is unproven in the English game

[Funkadelic]

Courtois is a win win situation, Cech is still no. 1 while the understudy gets great experience at a top European club, and from repors I've heard he's pretty keen to stay there and play first team for the moment

[Jezza]

Cavani is worth every cent in my opinion. He's one of the best strikers in the world at the moment, so I'd be thrilled if we signed an established and reliable striker like that.

Courtois will probably go out on loan again. It looks like he'll return to At.Madrid.

[HAL]

Interesting comparsion.

[Jezza]

FANTASTIC!!!