http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/tm_headline=bitter-jose-bottom-of-the-class%26method=full%26objectid=19031161%26siteid=89520-name_page.html
Oliver Holt Chief Sports Writer 02/05/2007
JOSE MOURINHO blamed injuries. He blamed bad luck. He blamed
penalties.
He blamed Liverpool for defending too much. He blamed Rafa Benitez
for concentrating on the Champions League.
He blamed Chelsea for not scoring enough goals in the first leg and
made it sound as if that was Liverpool's fault, too.
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He mentioned several times, as casually as he could, that he had
won the European Cup.
But he said most generously that that did not stop him feeling the
pain of his shattered players, most of whom had not won it.
And when he was asked if he wished Liverpool luck for the final, he
said, no.
He had too much respect for whoever their opponent would be to do
something like that, he said.
Gracious in defeat Mourinho was not. Not even close. Not that we
expected him to be. Not even he could claim this time that
Liverpool had not scored as Daniel Agger's clipped shot bulged the
back of the net.
But he did everything he could to convey the idea that Chelsea had
been cheated of their divine right to appear in the final.
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His attitude did a disservice to his players who had run like
demons and fought like tigers.
John Terry was magnificent at the heart of defence, Didier Drogba
ran until he dropped, Frank Lampard showed the nerve and style of a
class act.
But just like he did two years ago, Mourinho tried to start the
process of cheating history.
He tried to deny the winners their due. But if he thought his
stance would take attention away from a season that is lurching
towards failure, he was wrong.
By anyone else's standards, Chelsea have had another stellar year,
vying for four trophies until late into April. But the team that
cost hundreds of millions is staring blankly at the apocalyptic
scenario of clinging only to the Carling Cup for solace.
Since peace was declared between Mourinho and the Chelsea board,
the club's season has fallen apart.
Outlasted by Manchester United in the Premiership, they have been
knocked out of the Champions League by Mourinho's most-hated
domestic rival.
And though Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon has pledged
Mourinho will not be sacked, we do not know whether Roman
Abramovich feels the same.
It seemed strange Abramovich was not at Anfield. His absence
suggests his passion for the club is not quite what it was. Or
certainly, that his enthusiasm for his manager is not what it was.
He will not be happy with his return from this season.
And nor will he be thrilled at Chelsea's lack of panache. Once
again, they were solid and relentless but never did they threaten
to take the game to Liverpool.
Mourinho insisted they showed ambition, that they were the team
trying to win, but that perception was shared by few of those
within Anfield.
But if Liverpool could point to inspired performances from half of
their side, Chelsea could highlight only Terry and Lampard in the
same vein.
Having backed Mourinho so clearly, it would be a major surprise if
they jettisoned him over the summer. But even if Chelsea win the FA
Cup, it will only lend a superficial sheen to a season of
under-achievement.
Mourinho has to be judged only by the highest standards after the
money he has been allowed to spend. His gamble on changing his team
against Bolton last Saturday to save players for last night's game
backfired spectacularly. And there will be no shortage of those
queuing up to say that the Special One has lost his sheen.
Not that he was tempted to start trying to win friends and
influence people last night. When he was asked what Benitez had got
that he had not, what had helped Benitez get to two finals in the
last three years when he had not reached any, Mourinho sneered: "We
have two Premiership titles in the last three years and they have
none."
We have welcomed the colour, spirit and character Mourinho has
brought to the Premiership since he arrived from Porto.
But on nights like last night, it is awfully difficult to say
anything other than he appeared childish, churlish, bitter and
sad.
If he is looking for people to blame for last night's defeat, he
should look at giants like Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher
first. And then at himself.
