13th March, 2015
Chelsea will reportedly open talks with manager Jose Mourinho on a new four-year contract.
The Portuguese coach signed a four-year deal when he returned for his second spell in charge in 2013, but it is believed that the Blues want to increase his salary and extend that contract for another two years.
Despite being eliminated from the Champions League by Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday it is thought that the Chelsea hierarchy are happy with the job that the 52-year-old is doing at Stamford Bridge.
According to The Express, Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is keen to offer Mourinho a new deal.
The report adds that Abramovich is pleased with the way that Mourinho has improved the team over the last 18 months and kept his transfer dealings inside Financial Fair Play guidelines.
Mourinho has lifted the League Cup with the West London outfit so far this season, and currently has them five points clear at the top of the Premier League with 11 games remaining.
Meanwhile, British newspapers and pundits rounded on Mourinho on Thursday following their Champions League elimination, branding them “a team who will never really be loved”.
Chelsea fell to French champions Paris Saint-Germain on away goals following a stormy and ill-tempered 2-2 draw in the second leg of their last 16 tie at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday.
The home side’s players came in for strong criticism after they surrounded referee Bjorn Kuipers in the aftermath of a first-half foul on Oscar by Zlatan Ibrahimovic that saw the PSG striker harshly shown a straight red card.
The Daily Mail labelled Chelsea “The Bully Boys”, using a photograph to flag up the fact that “NINE players” had encircled the Dutch official and describing their conduct as “deplorable”.
Writing in The Daily Telegraph, Henry Winter said “there will be little sorrow for their (Chelsea’s) departure outside Stamford Bridge”, beneath a headline branding the evening a “night of ignominy”.
Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher laid the blame at Mourinho’s door, accusing the Portuguese of instilling a culture of gamesmanship at the club.
“The worst bit of dirty tricks was from Chelsea, surrounding the referee. The reaction was disgraceful,” said the Sky Sports pundit.
“Jose Mourinho could end up being the most successful manager ever with the trophies he goes on to win in his career, but I don’t think him and his teams will be ever be loved because of actions like that.
“Does Mourinho care? I don’t think he probably cares. I think it’s sad.”