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.
•Chelsea owner, Abramovich (right) with manager, Mourinho
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.”
Post a Comment