News : Mourinho promises United guard of honour
Jose Mourinho has promised Manchester United a guard of honour at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday - but pledged the new Premiership champions can expect a major battle to retain their crown next season.
Two years ago, Sir Alex Ferguson famously ordered his players to applaud Chelsea onto the Old Trafford pitch following the Blues first title triumph under Mourinho.
And now, after Chelsea’s lingering hopes of a championship hat-trick died with a draw against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium, Mourinho confirmed the gesture will be reciprocated when Ferguson takes his team to Stamford Bridge this week.
‘They did it for us and we shall do the same for them,’ said Mourinho.
‘This is not a time for excuses. The title race is over and Manchester United are the new champions.
‘I wish to congratulate everyone, from the manager, to the players, the board - and everyone else who gave them a help to be champions.
‘We still have the FA Cup to play for and I promise we will be ready for next season.’
After his well voiced complaints about the failure of referees to award penalties against United recently, Mourinho rejected any suggestion his comment regarding the `help’ United received had a wider meaning.
However, he admitted he was awaiting with interest the outcome of discussions between United, Everton and the Premier League over the failure of Tim Howard to turn out for the Toffeemen in their home defeat to the Red Devils a week ago.
It has been claimed Howard was left out by David Moyes as the result of a ‘gentleman’s agreement’ with Ferguson which was struck when the American turned his loan move at Goodison Park into a permanent deal, although the Premier League today said they were satisfied neither club broke any rules.
‘I am not the authorities,’ observed Mourinho. ‘I can’t do anything about it. I just have to sit down and wait and see whether I agree with the decision.
‘Everybody knows what the story is. Now I have to see whether I can find friends in other clubs who will agree with me on a couple of things.’
Even though he left Didier Drogba, Ashley Cole and Ricardo Carvalho out of his team, who needed a win to retain any hopes of keeping the title, Mourinho claimed he never abandoned hope of winning a third successive championship until Alan Wiley sounded his whistle for the final time.
Certainly his team did not let him down, as he pointedly marched towards the Chelsea fans at the end emphasised.
Despite playing the entire second half with 10 men following the dismissal of Khalid Boulahrouz for the foul on Julio Baptista which earned Arsenal the penalty from which Gilberto put them in front, Chelsea battled until the end.
Michael Essien brought the visitors level before Joe Cole had a goal ruled out for offside.
And, with Jens Lehmann denying Salomon Kalou with a fingertip save late on, Mourinho felt he had plenty of reasons to be proud.
‘I felt the title was still possible,’ said Mourinho.
‘If we had won today, then beaten Manchester United on Wednesday, the gap would have only been two points going into the final game, when anything could have happened.
‘In the end, it wasn’t to be but I am very proud of my team.
‘I always knew one day I would not be a champion. But when it happened I didn’t want to be blaming myself, or the players, or the other people I work with.
‘Sometimes, when you win a lot of trophies, you can reach a point when you do not give everything, the commitment and ambition are not the same or you are not hungry enough.
‘Today has been exactly the opposite and any player who joins us needs to look at the video of this match to see what it takes to succeed.’
By Soccernet.com
One Response to “News : Mourinho promises United guard of honour”
Did you see the guard of honour? Was pathetic……almost as pointless as the one we gave them a couple of years ago
By Billy on Jun 26, 2007