- Title: SOCCER-ENGLAND/CHELSEA Two more milestones for Mourinho
- Date: 28th August 2015
- Summary: STOKE D'ABERNON, ENGLAND, UK (AUGUST 28, 2015) (REUTERS) CHELSEA MANAGER, JOSE MOURINHO, ENTERING NEWS CONFERENCE CLOSE OF CHELSEA BADGE ON WALL (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHELSEA MANAGER, JOSE MOURINHO, SAYING: "I'm proud with the record but I don't think it has an influence in the future. I know it's not normal, 99 matches in the Premier League is not 99 matches in a small league, it's 99 matches in the most competitive league. One defeat and a defeat could happen in so many matches where we were lucky to get a result. The defeat shouldn't happen in that day because in that day we didn't lose against Sunderland we lose against other things. But I'm only happy if I win tomorrow and I win the last of the 100 matches, if I don't win I don't get a good memory of the 100 matches because the 99 are not important, the important is only tomorrow." CAMERAMAN FILMING (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHELSEA MANAGER, JOSE MOURINHO, SAYING: "I think the most important thing of the start of this season is that it's not normal that in three matches you have two penalties against and you play with 10 men twice, I think [that] is the thing that immediately comes to the eyes of somebody that is analysing the situation. A part of that: one match at home, two matches away. Four points is not what we want but four points is not a drama. So we have to keep going, improving. We know we can improve, we know we're going to improve, try to get good results." BOARD READING (English): "CHELSEA FOOTBALL CLUB" (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHELSEA MANAGER, JOSE MOURINHO, SAYING: "They (Manchester City) are very good and they started well, very well, but last season Chelsea started the same or better, because we won seven or eight consecutive matches and we arrived in the 1st of January with the same points as other teams. So when the start is good it's good, but doesn't mean that you are going all the way." REPORTER TYPING ON A LAPTOP (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHELSEA MANAGER, JOSE MOURINHO, SAYING: "I don't speak about players from other teams. I have a good squad, I am happy with the squad I have. If I get another player until the end of the market, good, if I don't get, we go with what we have and we have a good squad." PHOTOGRAPHER TAKING A PHOTOGRAPH (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHELSEA MANAGER, JOSE MOURINHO, SAYING: "Palace will be always a difficult opponent. Even better players than last season, even a better team than last season, so if last season they were good this season they are going to be even better I believe." CAMERAMAN FILMING NEWS CONFERENCE ENDING
- Embargoed: 12th September 2015 13:00
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- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVA1I81RD55WAFA278BDM4N6RA1C
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho reaches two more milestones at the club in Saturday's (August 29) Premier League game at home to London rivals Crystal Palace.
It will be his 200th league match, of which he has lost only 20, and a 100th home league game with only one defeat -- by lowly Sunderland in April 2014.
"I'm proud with the record but I don't think it has an influence in the future," Mourinho told a news conference on Friday (August 28).
"I know it's not normal, 99 matches in the Premier League is not 99 matches in a small league, it's 99 matches in the most competitive league. One defeat and a defeat could happen in so many matches where we were lucky to get a result," said Mourinho, adding "I'm only happy if I win tomorrow and I win the last of the 100 matches, if I don't win I don't get a good memory of the 100 matches because the 99 are not important, the important is only tomorrow."
In his first spell at the club, between 2004-07, Mourinho won two league titles, adding a third on his return last season.
Chelsea have made a stuttering start to the new campaign with a win, a draw and a 3-0 defeat by league leaders Manchester City, having conceded seven goals in three games and had two men sent off.
The manager believes, however, that falling five points behind is not a problem.
"I think the most important thing of the start of this season is that it's not normal that in three matches you have two penalties against and you play with 10 men twice," he said.
"Four points is not what we want but four points is not a drama. So we have to keep going, improving. We know we can improve, we know we're going to improve, try to get good results."
"They (Manchester City) are very good and they started well, very well, but last season Chelsea started the same or better, because we won seven or eight consecutive matches and we arrived in the 1st of January with the same points as other teams. So when the start is good it's good, but doesn't mean that you are going all the way," said Mourinho.
As usual Mourinho refused to comment about transfer targets like John Stones of Everton and Chinese defender Zhang Linpeng of Guangzhou Evergrande.
"I don't speak about players from other teams. I have a good squad, I am happy with the squad I have. If I get another player until the end of the market, good, if I don't get, we go with what we have and we have a good squad," he said.
On Palace's last visit, in May, Chelsea clinched the league title with a 1-0 win.
Mourinho said Alan Pardew's side were even stronger this season and believed they would finish in the top half of the league.
"Palace will be always a difficult opponent. Even better players than last season, even a better team than last season, so if last season they were good this season they are going to be even better I believe," he said.
The Chelsea boss must do without captain John Terry, who was sent off in the 3-2 win at West Bromwich Albion on Sunday (August 23). - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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