Jose Mourinho has full support of Chelsea players says captain John Terry

Captain insists manager will there 'long after I’ve finished playing at this football club.”

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho talks to John Terry during a Chelsea training session, ahead of the UEFA Champions League Group G match between Chelsea and Dynamo Kiev on November 3, 2015 in Cobham, EngShow more

Press Association

LONDON // John Terry yesterday came out fighting in support of Jose Mourinho and refused to contemplate the embattled Chelsea manager being sacked.

Mourinho is under pressure from all angles, not least to retain his job amid a miserable run of nine losses in 17 matches in all competitions.

The Portuguese has an ally in captain Terry, who said Mourinho has the players’ support, contrary to rumours of unrest and despite disciplinary disputes with the English Football Association and being the subject of a personal legal claim from former first-team doctor Eva Carneiro.

“I can assure you now that the players are 100 per cent behind the manager,” said Terry, who was speaking ahead of tonight’s Uefa Champions League Group G clash with Dynamo Kiev.

Mourinho was the subject of the first managerial vote of confidence in Roman Abramovich’s 12-year ownership last month, but Chelsea have only one win in five matches since.

The club’s position has not changed, at least publicly, but the date with Dynamo and Saturday’s Premier League fixture at Stoke City could determine whether Mourinho has a future at Stamford Bridge.

Asked how he and the players would feel if Mourinho did leave, Terry said: “It’s not going to come to that. The club have shown faith in the best manager in the history of this football club.

“It’s not what ifs. I’m adamant we’re going to turn this round and he will be in charge for the rest of the season and long after I’ve finished playing at this football club.”

Last Saturday’s 3-1 loss to Liverpool was Chelsea’s sixth in 11 Premier League games, leaving the reigning champions 15th in the table.

Asked how much time he has left as Chelsea manager, Mourinho, who signed a new contract until June 2019 on the eve of the season, said: “Four years. In this case, three years and seven months.”

Mourinho says he has had support from friends within and outside of football and was reminded by a friend of comments he made after leading Porto to the Champions League title in May 2004.

“I said that one day in my career bad results will come and I will face the bad results with the same honesty and dignity that I’m facing now as European champion,” Mourinho said.

“I resisted well to the nature of my job, to the nature of football; 11 years waiting for this. It took time, but came in a moment where I am stable and I am strong to face it.”

Mourinho said his confidence had not been impacted by the run of results and he would remain steadfast to his methods, which the players had not questioned.

“It’s new for me. That’s why I am a good one. If I was a bad one it would come before,” Mourinho said in reference to his abilities as a coach.

Terry said the players were culpable for their manager’s plight.

“He’s under pressure because of the way we’re performing,” the English defender said. “We know we need to be better, for this club and for him.”

Mourinho often shoulders the burden on himself, deflecting attention from his players, Terry said.

Mourinho added: “For my players I do everything. I always did and I am not going to change.”

Poor results are what would ultimately cost Mourinho his job. He says he knows the reason why Chelsea have fallen so far in six months, but declined to elaborate.

“It’s not one reason. One reason would be easy to fix,” he said.

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