They can sack me, but I’m not quitting – Mourinho

LONDON: With as much bravado as he could muster, a grim-faced José Mourinho said he would not walk out of Chelsea despite his champions suffering their fourth defeat in eight Premier League matches and languishing 16th in the table.

After losing 3-1 to Southampton at Stamford Bridge, he declared he was still the best man for the job echoing the “Special One” arrogance with which he arrived at Chelsea for his first spell as manager 11 years ago.

But the confidence sounded hollow as he described how many of his expensively assembled multi-national team were simply playing badly and he would have to turn to youngsters in the hope of saving the season.

“No way I will resign. No way. Why? Because Chelsea cannot have a better manager than me,” he said after the defeat.

“There are managers in the world that belong to my level but not better. So no chance I run away. “First, because I have my professional pride and I know I am very good at my job. Secondly because I love this club very much. I want the best for my club and the best for my club is for me to stay.”

The Portuguese is not used to hearing his side booed off the pitch, just as he is not used to watching a team he coaches playing feverish, panicked and error-strewn football.

On Saturday Chelsea played like a team at the wrong end of the table, two places above the drop zone and 10 points adrift of the leaders. But Mourinho said he would stay until owner Roman Abramovich and the board asked him to leave and they had given him no sign they were about to do that.

Dick Advocaat has stepped down as manager of Premier League Sunderland after less than seven months in the job, the club said in a statement yesterday. – Reuters