Chelsea scratch their heads over Mourinho

Chelsea are finally coming to the realisation that their special manager brings with him special demands. Not for an extended contract, new players or a lifetime's supply of 1964 Barca Velha, but complete control over all aspects of club policy.

When Chelsea began their very public search for a successor to Claudio Ranieri last spring they deliberately targeted a hands-on figure - but have got more than they bargained for.

Chief executive Peter Kenyon proudly introduced Mourinho to the media as the club's new head coach and first-team manager last June, but such a dual title does scant justice to his level of responsibility at Stamford Bridge.

Not content with controlling the first-team, youth policy and all transfers he wants a greater input into the club's communications strategy and, even more significantly, is prepared to fight to get it.

As the epitome of a modern manager Mourinho takes multi-tasking to its limits. If the puckish Portuguese ever did take his boyish good looks and mischievous charm to Hollywood he would surely demand top billing as writer, director and producer, perhaps even taking time out from his busy schedule to sell popcorn at the intermission.

Every day of his life seems to bring a fresh drama for the most talked about man in football, but recent episodes of the Jose Mourinho Show have been far-fetched even by his standards. It talks something special indeed to knock the death of the Pope off the front pages in Portugal.

On the eve of Chelsea's biggest match of the season, Mourinho has lived up to his own billing as the Portuguese Man of War, taking on his own club because of a perceived lack of support.

The 42-year-old feels he has been left to fend for himself during the various storms that have raged this season, from Ashley Cole through to Anders Frisk, and has not been shy in telling people of his disappointment. Having come from FC Porto, where everyone from the club's president to the ball boys would bend the rules according to his will, it is a shock to realise that even he must operate within the law. Although Chelsea achieved a partial resolution following talks between Kenyon and Mourinho's agent, Jorge Mendes, yesterday, the problem is unlikely to go away. For all Kenyon's efforts, a cultural chasm exists between the club and their manager, which even the most highly-skilled diplomat would struggle to bridge.

Having delivered success to Porto by taking on all comers and confronting authority, Mourinho has brought the same plan to England but Chelsea believe there are some battles that he simply cannot win.

The club insist that they have acted throughout with his best interests at heart and even voiced fears that the Mourinho way could have seen them thrown out of the Champions League.

Mourinho is simply not used to such shows of dissent. Even his most outlandish schemes were supported at Porto. The club actively encouraged their manager to break UEFA rules by getting Andre Villas Boas to send text messages from the stands during his touchline ban against Lazio in 2003 and many in Portugal feel he will try to do the same thing tomorrow. A leading Porto official said: "We helped him with his communication system because it was for the good of the team. Chelsea will try and organise something for him as well, that's for sure."

Mourinho also benefited from the very public backing of president Jorge Nuno Pinto Da Costa, though their relationship has deteriorated since he left the club and they no longer speak.

When Mourinho was accused of ripping Rui Jorge's shirt to shreds following an ill-tempered match against Sporting Lisbon last season, Pinto Da Costa immediately defended him in a passionate press conference.

Roman Abramovich may have the wealth but Mourinho may have more in common with a rabble rouser like Pinto Da Costa.

Although the Russian will listen to Mourinho's grievances at a meeting today he is hardly likely to break his silence by offering his public support, leaving it to Kenyon to calm the waters.

Having stumbled upon the most talented manager of his generation almost by accident following the Sven- Goran Eriksson debacle, Kenyon will be desperate to keep hold of him.

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