Mourinho unconcerned about UEFA charge
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-03-23 10:00

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho is expecting UEFA charges that his team lied about an incident during a Champions League match in Barcelona to be dismissed.The bullish tactician told Portuguese television that he and Chelsea "have the expectation... of complete dismissal" of all the charges leveled.

Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho, seen here 07 March 2005, said his focus on his job has not been hurt by UEFA's decision to open disciplinary proceedings against him and the London-based club on charges of bringing the game into disrepute.[AFP]

UEFA charged Chelsea with bringing the game into disrepute on Monday, citing Mourinho, his assistant Steve Clarke and security official Les Miles.

"Obviously, I as well as other people involved, mainly the club, which is much more important that we are, have the expectation ... of complete dismissal (of charges), complete dismissal," the Portuguese coach told SIC television, for whom he works as a part-time analyst, on Tuesday.

"My job is to train, to evaluate, to try to get the best results possible."

The row erupted after Chelsea accused Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard of speaking to referee Anders Frisk in his dressing- room at halftime in the Champions League knockout round first- leg match in Spain last month.

Mourinho said lawyers had told him not to comment but added that he would not change his behaviour.

"I have always been this way. Sincerely, I don't want to change and I want to finish up my career 12, 13 years from now at most, I want to finish it up this way.

"That is, to be loved by my own. And right now I am loved by the Chelsea fans and I don't worry hardly at all about other club's supporters," Mourinho said. "That's the way I am."

Chelsea, who were leading 1-0 at the time of the incident, went on to lose the game 2-1 after striker Didier Drogba was sent off. Mourinho sent his team out late for the second half and failed to attend the mandatory news conference.

DEATH THREATS

The incident created more controversy when Frisk resigned 10 days ago saying he had received death threats from Chelsea fans. The English club reached the quarter-finals by winning the second leg 4-2.

Asked about British press coverage of himself, Mourinho said; "Really, everything I normally do is analysed with a negative expectation."

Mourinho said his contact with the British press was almost entirely confined to news conferences.

"I am in the news every day. I think they really like my overcoat, they really like my haircut, they really like my face, they really like my behaviour, they really like to talk about me," he said.

The Football Association fined him last month for saying Manchester United players cheated and he was sent from the dugout for making provocative gestures at Liverpool fans during Chelsea's League Cup final victory.

He and Chelsea are still under investigation for an alleged illegal move to poach Arsenal defender Ashley Cole.

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