“Please don’t call me arrogant, but I’m European champion and I think I’m a special one.”
“Why drive Aston Martin all the time, when i have Ferrari and Porsche as well? That would just be stupid” – When asked about rotating Joe Cole, Arjen Robben and Damien Duff
It is omelettes and eggs. No eggs – no omelettes! It depends on the quality of the eggs. In the supermarket you have cla** one, two or cla** three eggs and some are more expensive than others and some give you better omelettes. So when the cla** one eggs are in Waitrose and you cannot go there, you have a problem” – Commenting on the lack of fund available to him for strengthening his Chelsea squad
“We are on top at the moment but not because of the club’s financial power. We are in contention for a lot of trophies because of my hard work.
“I am very happy because the club is beating records with the sales of new shirts. I don’t sell shirts but there a relation between shirt sales and the performance of the team. If we perform well they sell more shirts.”
“If Roman Abramovich helped me out in training we would be bottom of the league and if I had to work in his world of big business, we would be bankrupt!”
“I am not concerned about how Chelsea are viewed morally. What does concern me is that we are treated in a different way to other clubs. Some clubs are treated as devils, some are treated as angels. I don’t think we are so ugly that we should be seen as the devil and I don’t think Arsene Wenger and David Dein are so beautiful that they should be viewed as angels.”
“We have eight matches and eight victories, with 16 goals, but people say we cannot play, that we are a group of clowns. This is not right.” – On Chelsea’s start to the new season – October 2005
“Everybody was waiting for Chelsea not to win every game and one day, when we lose, there will be a holiday in the country. But we are ready for that.”
“Sometimes you see beautiful people with no brains. Sometimes you have ugly people who are intelligent, like scientists.” – On the state of the Stamford Bridge pitch prior to their home Champions League game against Barcelona in 2006
“It is like having a blanket that is too small for the bed. You pull the blanket up to keep your chest warm and your feet stick out. I cannot buy a bigger blanket becuase the supermarket is closed. But I am content because the blanket is cashmere. It is no ordinary blanket.” – on Chelsea’s injury crisis and the end of January transfer window after Ashley Cole was injured in a 3-0 win over Blackburn, 31 January 2007
“After all that has happened this season – and that is a lot – I’ve reached the conclusion that I am a good loser.” – after losing the Premiership title to Manchester United in the 2006/2007 season
“Ricardo Carvalho seems to have problems understanding things, maybe he should have an IQ test, or go to a mental hospital or something” – After Carvalho blasted Mourinho for not picking him to play.
“I think he is one of these people who is a voyeur. He likes to watch other people. There are some guys who, when they are at home, have a big telescope to see what happens in other families. He speaks, speaks, speaks about Chelsea.” – on Arsène Wenger
“My history as a manager cannot be compared with Frank Rijkaard’s history. He has zero trophies and I have a lot of them…”
“When I saw Frank Rijkaard (Barcelona coach) entering the referee’s dressing room I couldn’t believe it. When Didier Drogba was sent off (after half-time) I wasn’t surprised.” – On losing to Barcelona – February 2005
“Maybe when I turn 60 and have been managing in the same league for 20 years and have the respect of everybody I will have the power to speak to people and make them tremble a little bit.” – On Sir Alex Ferguson – January 2005
“People want a storm but there isn’t one. I respect Sir Alex a lot because he’s a great manager, but he must follow the procedure. I don’t speak with referees and I don’t want other managers doing it, it’s the rule. One thing is to speak, one thing is to shout.” – On Sir Alex Ferguson – January 2005 (a few days later)
“This is nothing against Sir Alex whatsoever. After the game on Wednesday we were together in my office and we spoke and drank wine. Unfortunately it was a very bad bottle of wine and he was complaining, so when we go to Old Trafford for the second leg, on my birthday, I will take a beautiful bottle of Portuguese wine.”
“But he is a great manager, he is clever and used his power and his prestige. The referee should not allow it. I have a lot of respect for Ferguson. I call him boss because he is the manager’s boss. Maybe when I become 60, the kids will call me the same.”
