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Today the Telegraph released a fantastic, lengthy conversation between Jose Mourinho and Gary Neville. It's so expansive that we couldn't possible cover everything in one post, but let's hit one of the highlights here and get more later on. What would Mourinho do if offered a new long-term deal to stay at Chelsea?
I sign tomorrow. That’s what I want. I want to stay in Chelsea and English football because I think I won the right. My wife says many times I won the right to stop when I want. She says I won enough, I did enough, I created a good situation for the family. She says I won the right to do what I want. Unfortunately Chelsea’s not my club. I depend on the club and I depend on the results.
...
I keep saying the same. In every club I was working and thinking about that club, but I always have my next movement. This is the first time where I don’t have my next movement. I want to stay. I want to stay till the moment Chelsea tells me it’s over, because the results are not good, or they want to go in another direction, or they don’t agree with my style of management – for any reason. This period at Chelsea is going to hang by their decision, not my decision.
In summer 2013, we were told over and over again that Jose Mourinho was a mercenary returning to an inherently unstable club, and that this second marriage between him and Chelsea could never last. But everything we've seen since indicates that this is truly a long-term project for the Portuguese, and even something of a labour of love.
Here's even thinking about his competition down the line:
You tell me. If we keep this team, and [Manchester City] keep that team: in five years time, who is going to be better?
I say immediately – us, because in five years I’m going to have Hazard, Oscar, Willian, Azpilicueta, Zouma, in the best moment of their careers, and the fantastic players I have now, at 28, 29. A fantastic team with lots of solutions.
Unless something really strange happens, Jose Mourinho is back at Chelsea to stay. And, having overseen the adolescence of some pretty impressive horses, he's ready to collect some silverware. Bad news for everyone else, right?