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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Samuel Meade

Everything Jose Mourinho has said about Roman Abramovich as billionaire plans Chelsea sale

Jose Mourinho will forever be the most successful Chelsea manager of the Roman Abramovich era.

The Special One was hired a year after the Russian billionaire bought the club following his Champions League success with Porto.

It was Europe's top prize that eluded him at Stamford Bridge, but he more or less triumphed in everything else across two separate spells.

He arrived in English football with his now famous press conference and backed up his words with actions as Abramovich's millions funded dominant Premier League title wins as well as domestic cup success.

A break up in 2007 was patched up in 2013 as Mourinho returned, but he left for a second time in 2015.

The Russian has now announced, amid mounting pressure, that he is looking to sell Chelsea.

Is Jose Mourinho the best manager of the Roman Abramovich era? Have your say in the comments!

Roman Abramovich has signalled his intention to sell Chelsea (PA)

His near two-decade leadership will end once a buyer is found and, among all the drama and success, Mourinho will surely be remembered as the defining character of, what has been, a sensational ride in west London.

He helped morph the Kings Road outfit into a European superpower but, in the years since his departure, has not been overly complimentary.

Similarly, Mourinho's abrasive style meant he never shied away from making his feelings known publicly about Abramovich.

Pay and don't speak - 2004

Mourinho had arrived and set about utilising the Abramovich wealth to build a squad that could conquer England's top flight.

He was putting the pieces together but needed an elite striker.

Plenty existed at that time, but Didier Drogba, by no means the most fashionable choice, was Mourinho's pick.

Abramovich questioned why but the Portuguese coach told him not to ask.

Mourinho claimed: "(Abramovich said) 'Who? Who is he? Where is he playing?' I said 'Mr Abramovich - pay. Pay, and don't speak'.

"And Didier was an iconic player for Chelsea, for the Premier League."

Jose's challenge - 2007

Tensions were mounting behind the scenes. Chelsea had lost their title to Manchester United months earlier and hadn't started the year brilliantly.

An underwhelming draw with Rosenborg in the Champions League reportedly saw Abramovich pass Mourinho in the corridors and say the team "could do better".

The Independent claims that the Special One responded by saying "If you are not happy with me, then just sack me."

He was gone the following day.

A welcome return - 2013

Mourinho would leave Real Madrid and return to Stamford Bridge in 2013. A home game against Hull City would mark his second coming.

Abramovich attended the game and made a quick trip in to the dressing room to wish them good luck - a gesture that stuck with Mourinho.

Jose Mourinho returned to Chelsea in 2013 (Action Images)

“It’s the fifth season I’ve started with Chelsea,” he said.

“We had Mr Abramovich in the dressing room with us for the first time in those years before the match. It was a moment wishing everyone the best, the medical department and the players not selected.

“To have Mr Abramovich coming from his holiday to be with the team meant a lot to all of us. We are together and know where we want to go. I think it’s great, especially for the players, to feel the atmosphere around."

Standing by him - 2015

Chelsea had gone from champions to relegation contenders in a matter of months.

The collapse remains one of the great mysteries of Mourinho's career but, despite Abramovich's trigger happy finger, he appeared confident that the Russian would stick by him despite results going against them.

Chelsea endured a poor start to the 2015/16 season, which eventually cost the Special One his job (Getty Images)

“I don’t think the owner is a person to change with the wind,” he said.

“I know the wind with the results is an important wind. I know this wind is really strong, because the results in the Premier League are really bad.

"But I think the owner knows who I am, what I gave to the club, and the owner believes I am the right person to do the job.”

The sack - 2015

Clearly Abramovich's patience had come to an end. It was a defeat to Leicester City on a Monday night that would prove the final straw.

Mourinho still felt the love of the fans, but appeared to hit out at the owner - whom he chose not to name - and his decision.

Jose Mourinho claimed he and the Russian were "never friends" (GETTY)

He said: “The owner, he decided to sack me. The fans, they have no power.

"They show day by day, match after match, that they wanted me, but in this profile of club, the fans have no power."

Never a friend - 2016

You'd have thought that, after more than five seasons working together, that Mourinho and Abramovich would've struck up a personal relationship.

Especially given the current Roma boss was responsible for some of the club's best moments under the Russian.

That, apparently, wasn't the case with Mourinho dismissing any notion of a friendship.

"He [Abramovich] was never my friend," he said.

"We always had the relationship of owner-manager; a very respectful relationship. We were never friends. We were never close to each other. So, no, he is just a person that I keep very respected."

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