Wayne Rooney arrival won't force out Demba Ba at Chelsea

DEMBA BA insists he is going nowhere this summer – even if Chelsea sign Wayne Rooney.

By: Matthew Dunn in JakartaPublished: Fri, July 26, 2013

Chelsea striker Demba Ba wants to stay at Stamford Bridge this summer

The former Newcastle striker only signed for the Blues in January after they triggered a £7million release clause in his contract.

However his six months at Stamford Bridge were something of a disappointment, with Ba scoring only two goals from 14 Premier League starts, and this summer he was being linked with a move to follow the man who signed him, Rafa Benitez, to Napoli.

Ba, though, claims to be reinvigorated by working with new manager Jose Mourinho and even if the Portuguese has made it clear that Rooney is the man that he wants to spearhead his attack in the new season, the Senegal international is keen to stay and fight for a place in the team.

Ba has been linked with Rafa Benitez's Napoli

Chelsea are hoping to sign Wayne Rooney from Manchester United

We will all work in the same direction, for the club, to try and win the games. I will stay
Demba Ba

“I think we need competition and we welcome the best players in this club,” he said on Rooney. “More competition is going to make me better anyway.

“All players want to play, not only centre forwards. We will all work in the same direction, for the club, to try and win the games. I will stay.”

Ba scored in the 8-1 thrashing of BNI Indonesia All Stars in Jakarta yesterday and will carry on to America where fellow striker Fernando Torres will join up with the squad.

Ba and Fernando Torres were Chelsea's strike options last season


“I feel good,” he said. “It’s always good to score but at this stage it’s more about the work and running a lot on the pitch to get you condition back.

“It’s been a good week’s work with the new manager. We will see in the next few weeks. It will be exciting.”

http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/417609/Wayne-Rooney-arrival-won-t-force-out-Demba-Ba-at-Chelsea?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+daily-express-football-news+%28Daily+Express+%3A%3A+Football+Feed%29

News » Football

JUL 23 2013

Chelsea Set To Test United With Second Bid For Rooney

Chelsea are set to make a second offer for Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney according to reports.

Chelsea had an initial offer rejected for Rooney last week and since then United’s manager David Moyes has been reported in the independent saying that there is no way that he will be leaving the club and that, “the club’s position has not changed.”

In a report by the Daily Mail, Mourinho has declared again that the striker is his primary transfer target and that he is willing to pay up to £30 million for the player.

The same story reported that United had previously turned down an offer of £23 million plus add-ons of up to £2.5 million for Rooney.

It is believed, in the article, that if Chelsea can prize the England forward from Old Trafford then they will offer him a five-year contract and match his 240,000-a-week salary that he is currently on at Old Trafford

It will be interesting to see if David Moyes rejects an offer for the injured forward for a second time.
Chelsea Set To Test United With Second Bid For Rooney

http://www.sportsvibe.co.uk/news/football/chelsea-set-to-test-united-with-second-bid-for-rooney-26631/?

José Mourinho turns Godfather on return to English family at Chelsea

Older and wiser, the Portuguese realises he needs to set an example on and off the pitch at Stamford Bridge

Dominic Fifield in Kuala Lumpur
The Guardian, Saturday 20 July 2013 08.00

José Mourinho seemed rather tickled by the latest moniker to be ushered his way. The Chelsea manager was seated in one of the boardrooms at Kuala Lumpur's Club Saujana resort surveying a Premier League landscape stripped of Sir Alex Ferguson and in which only he and Arsène Wenger have claimed the title. At 50 he is almost one of the old breed these days, with three of his former assistants now coaching rivals in the division. If André Villas-Boas, Steve Clarke and Brendan Rodgers are his proteges, capos who have flown the nest, then he can now be considered The Godfather.

The nickname prompted the chuckle that had been intended, yet the Portuguese recognised the implications. Mourinho used to be English football's loose cannon, a figure whose unpredictability was box office. He could be charming one moment, explosively dismissive the next, his ability to undermine opponents long before his team had taken the field the stuff of legend. Those tempestuous last few months at Real Madrid had suggested little had changed in the six years since his acrimonious departure from Stamford Bridge, but he would insist plenty has. He has to act his age.

"I've won all the English competitions, I've almost the most number of Champions League appearances as a manager, and I'm the only one [in the division] who's a European champion," he said. "So maybe I have a bit more responsibility as one of the more experienced guys now. I have that situation added on my shoulders. I have to be an example for everybody, not just in terms of expectations but everything: conduct, support … I have to be there for everyone if they need me. I have felt it over the last few years, in Uefa meetings, trying to establish new ideas to improve the Champions League and Uefa competitions. A respect was there and my responsibility was getting stronger. If that happens too in the Premier League, I have to answer in a positive way."

The idea that Mourinho, once such a politically provocative figure, will become his fellow coaches' go-to man, imparting advice as Ferguson – whom the Portuguese referred to as the "Boss" and the "Dad" – did behind the scenes, reflects his standing. He returns to Chelsea a two-times Champions League winner, his record glittering upon every stage he has graced. They are to name a street after him, an Avenida de Mourinho, in his home town of Setúbal later this year. The assumption is this team, inspired by his presence, will go on to dominate in the Premier League once again, as they did with titles in 2005 and 2006. Yet, while the club has grown so used to claiming silverware, the challenge ahead is very different to that accepted when he was lured from Porto nine years ago.

"I faced a different profile of squad back then, if not a different profile of ambitions," he said. "One team built many years ago is disappearing and we're facing the new situation of financial fair play, so I'm working now with a squad whose best years are to come. After three years at Real, this profile of job comes at a good moment for me. I'm being a bit of a coach, a bit of a teacher. The (young) players have big space in their grey matter, lots of neurons free, ready to absorb and process information. I have to prepare the long-term future, and I don't want to be evaluated or loved for what I did before. I want to be loved because of what I'm doing now and what I will do in the future."

That task is to overthrow Manchester United while also fending off the threat of Manuel Pellegrini's Manchester City, Wenger's Arsenal and Villas-Boas at Spurs. It is David Moyes at Old Trafford who draws the focus, a manager awaiting his first major honour and tasked with succeeding Ferguson, one of the greatest managers of all time. "Before I won the first trophy I had not won anything, so everyone is the same," said Mourinho. "He is experienced. To win trophies with Everton is not easy. When he finished fourth or fifth there, he didn't take the medal home but it's a trophy.

"One of the most difficult things in the club is to create a victory culture, one where you walk through the front door and smell the success, smell the confidence, smell the self-esteem. When I first came to Chelsea we were training at Harlington [the former university sports ground now occupied by Queens Park Rangers] and the only trophy they had from the previous season was the Malaysian Cup they won here. Now Chelsea is a big club.

"But other times you arrive and just think: 'This is already a big club.' David is in a big club with a winning culture already there, and that is a help. Everybody there knows how to win, but he must be the proudest man in the world and has a huge chance.

"City have bought four important players who will improve their fantastic squad. In my first time here people always put pressure on me, saying: 'You buy this, you spend that, you buy the title.' So I hope now they say that about the other side. But it's not about the money. It's always difficult to win. You can have the best players in the world, but you will have other kinds of problems to deal with, in terms of some choices, changes, rotations and turnovers."

City have already claimed a league title since they were transformed by Abu Dhabi money. Wenger's Arsenal, in contrast, have not lifted a trophy since Mourinho's first year in English football and, yet, he still considers them a threat. "They have their philosophy, and for some reason they do it. For sure, their manager does really good in the job. If not they wouldn't keep him. They will sign some players for sure to improve the team, and the manager brings stability. If he signs a new contract it means everything is comfortable and the board and the team know where they want to go. I think they are contenders."

And Villas-Boas, his former opposition scout whose decision to depart Internazionale for his own career in management so damaged their relationship? "All those people who worked with me, for me, none of them found my office locked. They don't have my files hidden under the bed. Everything was there for them: they had the chance to learn, to study, to be part of discussions and to be part of my training process. So for him, for Steve, for Brendan, I am very happy to see them successful.

"What they achieve is down to them. I'm just happy to help in their formation, in the same way Mr [Bobby] Robson or Louis van Gaal did with me. After that, when they fly, when they fly well, I'm happy for them."

That prompted a moment's hesitation before, an hour after the nickname was first mooted, it was officially taken up.

"Maybe I am going to be The Godfather," he added with a smile. Chelsea are glad to have their seasoned champion back in place.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2013/jul/19/jose-mourinho-chelsea-godfather

A new era for Chelsea Football Club?

19 Jul 2013 09:33:30
By Ashutosh Borka

'Please don’t call me arrogant, but I’m European champion and I think I’m a special one.'

And in came Jose Mourinho, and smashed the club transfer record with the signing of Didier Drogba.

Spending in excess of £130 million in his first season, which marked Chelsea's transfer policies for the first Abramovich decade - buy your way to instant success.

Over the decade we saw a host of superstars come in and go out. Bought for some of the most exorbitant sums, and offered ridiculous salaries, but only some of them were able to prove their mettle.

We've had the likes of Didier Drogba, Petr Cech, Arjen Robben, Ashely Cole maybe even Micheal Essien before injuries marred his career, who have been worth every penny. But we've also had Fernando Torres, Andriy Shevchenko, Shaun Wright-Phillips and Jose Bosingwa who haven't lived up to their enormous price tags.

Over the past decade Chelsea fans have been able to boast about winning almost every piece of silverware there is to offer, of having some of the biggest names in the footballing world.

But fact still remains we can never talk about financial profits, grooming young talent or having home grown legends quite the way Barcelona, United or even Arsenal can. John Terry is the only player who has graduated from the youth academy and has been able to consistently claim a first team spot.

"Now I promise exactly the same things I promised in 2004 with this difference to add: I'm one of you."

And so began the second term of Jose Mourinho. But this time it feels different.

There is a kind of calm and composure unheard of in association with Mourinho. He doesn't seem like the go buy-it-all manager he's largely known to be.

"This time I arrive, and victories and silverware are nothing new. In this moment it's time for a completely different approach. Not losing my nature, which is the nature of the club too, trying to win. I think we are all prepared for a different era with a different profile of team."

"We always have ambition to add a couple of new players to improve the squad, but the most important part of my job at the moment is to improve the players we have."

With this Mourinho identified the direction the club was heading in. No more £100 million plus transfer windows, no more being drawn into bidding wars and most importantly grooming the exciting talent Chelsea have in abundance. A new era of exciting young talent, an era of financial fair play.

In the past Chelsea have been wasteful with many of their youngsters, Nemanja Matić makes a fine example. He was sold to Benfica in a makeweight deal for David Luiz, having been identified as not being a prospect for the future. He has now developed into one of the most promising talents, and is rumored to return to Chelsea in a deal worth excess of £30 million. Rumor true or not the fact remains, that Chelsea lost out on a great talent due to bad management.

With Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku and Tomas Kalas included in the pre-season squad this trend will hopefully change and the most is made out of the Chelsea youth.

Reflecting on the last season Chelsea do need a few reinforcements. The first addition I'd like to see is that of a quality striker. Even as a Chelsea fan I've resigned on Torres ever coming back to the form he showed in his glory years, Lukaku is perhaps still a little raw to be depended on week in week out and Ba remains an emergency backup signing.

With Monaco making the swoop for Falcao, and Cavani on his way to join the French Revolution in Paris, Chelsea have to look elsewhere for their attacking spearhead.

Robert Lewandowski had emerged as an option but he seems determined on switching to rivals in Munich.

Wayne Rooney in a Blue jersey is an option all Blues fans would be smacking their lips about. But with Moyes intent on playing hardball, Mourinho shouldn’t break the bank over a player who hasn’t been at his best recently. That only leaves options like Burak Yilmaz, Benteke, Stevan Jovetic on a very limited list.

Another area, where Chelsea need backup is defensive midfield. Obi Mikel though great defensively gives the ball away too often, is poor going forward and should be on his way to Galatasaray. Although, Benitez did experiment with Oscar in a deeper role, I doubt Mourinho would consider it given the Brazilian's diminutive frame. Chelsea need someone to provide backup to Ramires and Lampard.

Here comes in Marco van Ginkel, the exciting young Dutch prospect considered to be the future Lampard can be prove to be a bargain at around £7 million. But, he seems more like a future plan rather than an immediate replacement.

With creative ball players like Mata, Hazard and Oscar in the attacking midfield we need someone in a deeper role who can not only make the tackle when required but also keep the ball and pass it. This is where Daniel De Rossi seems like a perfect fit. The Italian is not only strong, and a good tackler but can control the game in a way that Ramires or Mikel, will never do. Nathan Ake who was impressive in his full debut against Middlesborough can also prove to be a useful option.

Chelsea have made a rare sensible choice by going for the cheap and signing free agent Mark Schwarzer, rather than trying to price out John Ruddy from Norwich. Schwarzer is a hugely experienced keeper and will provide sufficient back-up along with the 19 year old Blackman, till Courtois returns to take over the reins from Cech.

In the defensive department, Chelsea seem fine on the surface but you dig a little deeper and cracks begin to appear. In central defence, there appear to be four options in Luiz, Ivanovic, Cahill and Terry. But Terry is 32, and with him not being first choice under Benitez it is still to be seen if he can merit a first team spot. Luiz is not the most defensively solid at the back, and if Mourinho decides to cash in on him to Barca or PSG then Chelsea will need to sign a defender or two.

On the flanks, Azpilicueta did a fine job towards the end of last season. Ivanovic can provide some support there too. At left back - Ashely Cole, although he hasn't shown any signs of ageing is 32, and the only cover available is Ryan Bertrand who is inconsistent at best.

One area where Chelsea have more than an abundance of talent - attacking midfield. Surprisingly, Mourinho has added to this already jam packed midfield with the purchase of André Schürrle. Costing around £17 million he certainly can't be called cheap. But a German international and as Mourinho describes him: “a player who is absolutely ready and he gives us more than one position in attack" could be a value addition. Moses doesn't seem to have made the mark with Mourinho and rightly so, looks set to rejoin Roberto Martinez at Everton.

With Schürrle firmly in his plans, Mourinho looks like he will play an attacking 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 formation. With Hazard and Schürrle on the flanks and Mata just behind the striker, Oscar and De Bruyne used in rotation whenever needed. With a quality striker Chelsea could give the best defenses a headache.

Chelsea seem to be a shaping up to be a great squad with not only a quality first eleven, but also a strong bench.

Let's hope the "special one" can deliver, and bring home the Premier League again.

Whatever may be the result, the air around Stamford Bridge is full of excitement, a new era of Mourinho, a new era of Chelsea football is here.

http://m.sport.co.uk/football/a-new-era-for-chelsea-football-club/4340805/?

Haha how can you even consider Di Matteo as Chelsea's greatest manager? He was there for 1/2 a season or so as an interim and even shorter as the proper manager.

Chelsea's greatest?

Who has been Chelsea's best manager?

Sky Sports is launching a vote to discover the finest boss in the history of each current Premier League club and we want your opinions

In a summer which has seen Jose Mourinho return to the Premier League, what better time to look for the greatest manager in the history of Chelsea? Sky Sports is launching a vote to discover the best boss in the history of the London club and you can have your say. But who will you chose? Is Mourinho really the Special One or do his achievements compare to Chelsea's first league winner, Ted Drake? Italian pair Roberto Di Matteo and Carlo Ancelotti can also not be forgotten after incredible cup-winning success both at home and abroad. Have your say and we will announce the winner in the week commencing 12th August.

Jose Mourinho (2004-2007 & 2013-Present)


The Special One now claims to be the Happy One after returning for a second spell at Chelsea, where his presence has turned the club into favourites for the Premier League next season in the eyes of many. Mourinho won two league titles - one with a record points tally - an FA Cup and two League Cups during his first stint at Stamford Bridge between 2004 and 2007. His disappointments were in losing two UEFA Champions League semi-finals.

Roberto Di Matteo (2012)


The man who was in charge of Chelsea for their first European Cup win cannot be overlooked despite the fact he was only in caretaker charge at the time. Di Matteo succeeded Andre Villas-Boas having been one of his assistants and went on to defeat Bayern Munich at their Allianz Arena in the UEFA Champions League final in 2012. Liverpool were also beaten in the FA Cup final in the same season.

Carlo Ancelotti (2009-2011)


Amicable Italian Ancelotti won the Premier League and FA Cup Double with Chelsea in 2010 to mean he was taken to the hearts of the club's fans. A slightly underachieving campaign in the following year saw Ancelotti ruthlessly sacked but he became a martyr of sorts in the eyes of supporters. Many think Ancelotti should have been given more time at the helm at Stamford Bridge.

Ted Drake (1952-1961)


Drake was the man who managed Chelsea to their maiden First Division title when winning England's top flight in 1955. It was to be almost 50 years before Chelsea were again to win the championship, with Jose Mourinho the man who ended the wait. Drake is also credited with helping give the club their identity in their Lions crest badge and Blues nickname.

Who do you think has been the greatest manager in Chelsea's history? Have your say via the feedback form below and vote in our poll. Voting closes on 9th August

http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11096/8813771/Chelsea-s-greatest-?

Frank Lampard feeling fresher than ever ahead of new season

SIMON JOHNSON
Published: 15 July 2013 Updated: 08:49, 15 July 2013
Frank Lampard cannot wait for the season to start and it’s not just because he has been reunited with the manager he has relished playing under most.

The return of Jose Mourinho to Chelsea has given Lampard good reason to be excited but it is the lack of personal pressure which has made the midfielder feel particularly upbeat.

Twelve months ago, not only was he fearing that his Chelsea career was coming to an end but the 35-year-old also had the stress of trying to break Bobby Tambling’s club goal-scoring record on his mind.

Both issues dominated the headlines and became an obsession for Chelsea fans.

It was only in May that they were resolved in Lampard’s favour as he passed Tambling’s 202 mark with a brace against Aston Villa before being handed another 12-month deal a few days later.

That, combined with the fact he had a full five weeks off, means Lampard is feeling fresher than ever going into his 13th season at Stamford Bridge.

Speaking about the pursuit of a new contract and goals record being a thing of the past, he said: “I’m relaxed now. It’s a nice weight off my shoulders. With the staying thing, everyone knew I wanted to and we got there in the end.

“And with the goals thing, I really wanted to do it last season because of the crowd build-up, everyone was talking about it.

“It would have been on my mind in the summer and carried into this season so it was fantastic to do it.

“I’m now just looking forward to enjoying the season. It’s a great appointment as manager, everyone knows that we all think that here. It’s going to be really exciting and I’m going into it with the same desire as all the others.”

There are few players better to comment on whether Mourinho can make the same kind of impact at the club as he did first time than Lampard.

He was one of Mourinho’s most loyal subjects as Chelsea claimed five major trophies between 2004-7.

Mourinho has been at Inter Milan and Real Madrid since then and just a week of pre-season training under him has been enough to convince Lampard that the club have employed an even stronger coach.

Lampard, who is in Bangkok with the rest of the squad on their pre-season tour of South East Asia, said: “Jose’s been brilliant. He’s probably even better with all the experience.

“He was such an influence on me and the club before, but he’s come back like he’s never been gone. He’s walked straight back into the building and is held with great affection by people behind the scenes.

“Everyone has fallen straight back into it and after two or three days you could see the intensity, his desire to train and to get the team working to try and win rubs off on everyone.

“I know how he works with individuals and gets the best out of players. But just from some of the training sessions, there have been new ideas along the way.

“I’m sure he’s picked them up along the way – it’s been six years since he was last here. He has gone on and won the Champions League and titles in Italy and Spain.

“Pre-season always gets harder as you get older, but it’s very fresh with the new manager and it’s not a long slog.”

After winning the Champions League and Europa League in successive seasons, some suspect Chelsea want Mourinho to make winning the Premier League the priority.

Chelsea last won it in 2010 and have finished a distant sixth and third behind Manchester City and Manchester United respectively in 2012 and 2013.

Lampard admits Chelsea are determined to pose a better challenge but not at the expense of trying to win on the continent once again.

When asked about the club’s need to focus on the Premier League, he told Chelsea TV: “I agree with that to an extent, but I don’t think you can ever turn your nose up at the Champions League because it’s so special and we found that out. I would never put that as a secondary thing in my head because it was such an amazing thing to win [in 2012].

“But I get the idea that domestically, the last few years have not been good enough for the club. I do feel that we’re now going to find that consistency that we lost.

“We’ve lost ourselves in certain months of the season and certain games, not going on winning runs and being as ruthless as we were. I feel that if we can get that back, then the domestic trophies are ones we’re really going to look at.”

With the last two champions of England appointing new managers as well, there is a claim in some quarters that it’s Chelsea’s title to lose.

However, Lampard said: “Manchester City are obviously going to be strong with a manager [Manuel Pellegrini] who has credentials and a big squad that they have already improved in the summer.

“Man Utd? I have great respect for David Moyes and we know their squad is already up there. All we can do on that front is worry about ourselves.

“Our squad is already fantastic, it’s young and getting better as we go along. The manager coming is obviously a great strength for us and the few signings we’ve made and the few more we will potentially make, will make us even better.”

http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/frank-lampard-feeling-fresher-than-ever-ahead-of-new-season-8708604.html

Chelsea favourites to sign Man Utd star after Mourinho drops huge hint

The Happy One has admitted he would like to sign Wayne Rooney and bwin now make the Stamford Bridge side favourites to land the England striker.

bwin’s bookies have installed Chelsea as the favourites to sign Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney after Blues boss Jose Mourinho dropped the clearest indication yet that he wants to beat Arsenal, Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona to the singing of the former Everton man.

Speculation about Rooney’s future has refused to go away all summer despite new United manager David Moyes constantly reiterating that the England forward, who worked with Moyes when the pair were at Everton over a decade ago, is not for sale at any price.

The striker’s summer took an unhelpful turn when he picked up a hamstring injury on United’s tour of the Far East that will rule him out for a month, and reports today suggest that it could be his last action for the club, with Chelsea resolute in their desire to bring the 27-year-old to Stamford Bridge.

With just two years left on his contract at Old Trafford, Rooney is in a position where his next deal will tie him to United long-term and with rumours that he still wants to move on, Moyes could be forced into selling his number ten.

And today Mourinho lit the blue touch paper in a way that only Mourinho can by saying, as respectfully and tactfully as he could, that Chelsea would be interested in taking Rooney to Stamford Bridge should the striker become available this summer.

“It’s a funny, tricky question from an ethical point of view as I can’t talk about players from other teams,” the Happy One said.

“But it is not my character to speak with hypocrisy, I always tell what I see – he’s a player that I like very much. Being fast and direct I like him very much, but he’s a Manchester United player.”

- See more at: http://bwinbetting.com/leagues/premier-league/chelsea-favourites-sign-man-utd-star-mourinho-drops-huge-hint,42012.html?#sthash.wANRDxhv.dpuf

Mark Schwarzer plans to 'push hard' for opportunities after agreeing one-year deal with Chelsea

The 40-year-old will have trouble dislodging Petr Cech as number one

WEDNESDAY 10 JULY 2013

Mark Schwarzer is not planning to replace Petr Cech as Chelsea's number one goalkeeper - but the Australian will certainly push hard to be involved at his new club.

The 40-year-old - a free agent since leaving Fulham last month - has agreed a one-year contract to provide cover for Czech Republic international Cech at Stamford Bridge.

Cech has been a near ever-present for the Blues in his nine seasons in London, with Hilario and Ross Turnbull among the several deputies unable to displace him.

But Schwarzer still harbours ambitions of representing Australia at next year's World Cup and knows he will need game time to ensure his spot on the plane to Brazil.

The former Middlesbrough keeper told Sky Sports News: "Petr is number one - that goes without saying.

"For me what was important was that I could come to a club the size of Chelsea and really try and push myself as much as possible.

"If I can help Petr Cech improve as a goalkeeper and help myself improve as a goalkeeper then we can learn a lot from each other and I'd be delighted with that.

"There's a lot of games throughout the season and I know that if I'm pushing as hard as I can do then there'll be opportunities along the way."

Schwarzer revealed returning Blues boss Jose Mourinho had helped persuade him to join "one of the best clubs in the country" after speaking to the Portuguese about his future options.

He added: "I've spoken to the manager at Chelsea and it was very easy to make the decision that Chelsea was the right club for me.

"The size and ambition of the club and the opportunities at the club ticked all the boxes. It was an amazing opportunity to join a fantastic club.

"It's one of the best clubs in the country, if not one of the best clubs in the world, so it was very easy to make the decision after speaking to the manager."

Schwarzer moved to England in 1996 to join Bradford before making 367 league appearances in 11 years with Middlesbrough. He won the League Cup with Boro in 2003 and appeared in the 2006 UEFA Cup final against Sevilla.

During his time at Fulham he became the first overseas player to make over 500 Premier League appearances and reached another European final as the Cottagers lost out to Atletico Madrid in 2010.

The signing appears to have solved Chelsea's goalkeeping dilemma.

The Europa League winners were on the lookout for a support keeper to Cech following the release of Turnbull and Hilario at the end of the season and Premier League rivals Norwich this week confirmed rejecting two formal offers for England stopper John Ruddy.


http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/mark-schwarzer-plans-to-push-hard-for-opportunities-after-agreeing-oneyear-deal-with-chelsea-8699761.html

Edited by Joffa: 10/7/2013 07:46:41 PM

He won't see a game for Chelsea reserves.

:lol: what planet do you live on?

Chelsea reserves, better than first team football @ 90% of other EPL clubs

Leaves Fulham to get first team football. Joins Chelsea to warm the bench.

What'd I miss.

Good luck to Schwarz - going into a top 4 club is credit to his craft.

will he be first choice?

Dave Mitchell, Tony Dorigo, Mark Bosnich & Mark Schwarzer

Edited by Joffa: 10/7/2013 07:54:23 AM

CHELSEA SIGN MARK SCHWARZER

Posted on: Tue 09 Jul 2013
Chelsea Football Club is delighted to announce the signing of goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer on a free transfer.

The Australian international has signed a one-year contract that will keep him with the club until next summer's World Cup in Brazil, for which he helped his country seal qualification last month.

'It's a phenomenal club,' he said upon signing. 'It's one of the biggest and best clubs in the world, and it's an honour to sign for Chelsea. I didn't take much convincing to come here.'

Schwarzer, 40, brings with him a wealth of experience after more than 15 years in England with Bradford City, Middlesbrough and most recently Fulham, and last season became the first overseas player to have made 500 Premier League appearances.

Born in Sydney, Schwarzer began his career with Marconi Stallions before moving to Europe with German side Dynamo Dresden in 1994, which was followed by a short spell in the Bundesliga with Kaiserslautern.

A move to England followed in 1996, with Bradford City the platform from which Schwarzer signed for Middlesbrough, going on to play more than 400 times in 11 years, lifting the League Cup in 2003 and appearing in the 2006 UEFA Cup final against Sevilla.

In 2008, he moved south to west London with Fulham, spending five years at Craven Cottage, where he made 220 appearances.

Schwarzer made his international debut in 1994, and has since represented Australia 108 times, including at the 2006 and 2010 World Cups.

http://www.chelseafc.com/news-article/article/3233254/title/chelsea-sign-mark-schwarzer

Well in Chelsea.....

You've got to count the second coming of Mourinho as it's at the expense of another manager.

I didn't count Wilkins or the second coming of Mourinho

Ranieri, Mourinho, Grant, Scolari, Wilkins, Hiddink, Ancelotti, Villas Boas, Di Matteo, Benitez, Mourinho (2)...that's 11.

And 9 different managers :oops:

van Ginkel fee agreed between Vitesse and Chelsea. Just subject to personal terms and a medical.

Ten years at Chelsea for Mr Abramovich



Edited by Joffa: 5/7/2013 09:37:45 AM

Chelsea's £300m kit deal to spark Mourinho buying spree

GET SHIRTY ... David Luiz, Gary Cahill, Fernando Torres and Oscar show off the new kit
By MARK IRWIN
Last Updated: 22nd June 2013


JOSE MOURINHO has been given the green light to launch a major spending spree after Chelsea signed a staggering £300million deal with adidas.

The 10-year sponsorship is a world record fee for an agreement between a football club and kit manufacturer.

And the eye-watering figures have eased Chelsea’s concerns about falling foul of UEFA’s new Financial Fair Play regulations.

The deal smashes the previous landmark of £287m which Manchester United signed with Nike for a 15-year term back in 2000.

And it means Chelsea will no longer be so reliant on billionaire owner Roman Abramovich to bankroll them.

Their previous agreement with adidas, first signed in 2006 and renegotiated in 2010, was worth around £20million a year.

But success in the Champions League and Europa League, coupled with Mourinho’s return as manager, has raised the club’s global appeal.

Chief executive Ron Gourlay said: “The new deal reaffirms adidas’ belief in Chelsea’s status in world football.”

This is the third major kit agreement in recent weeks after Arsenal signed a £30m-a-year deal with Puma and Liverpool signed for £25m-a-year with Warrior.


http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/4979289/Chelsea-dripping-in-cash-with-a-record-300m-10-year-kit-deal.html

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/chelsea/10118387/Chelsea-to-sign-Bayer-Leverkusen-forward-Andre-Schurrle.html

Jose signs
OFFICIAL: Mourinho is Blues boss

SPECIAL DELIVERY ... Mourinho will be expected to bring success to Stamford Bridge
EXCLUSIVE By ROB BEASLEY
Last Updated: 30th May 2013

JOSE MOURINHO is Chelsea’s new boss — and that’s official!

The Special One sealed a spectacular £40million four-year deal on Tuesday night.

A senior Blues source revealed: “It’s official — Jose is a Chelsea man again! Everyone is delighted he’s coming back — the club, the players and the fans

“We are already looking forward to next season — we are sure it’s going to be very exciting.”

The Sun exclusively told you on May 3 that Real Madrid chief Mourinho was heading back to the Bridge.

And we can now reveal Mourinho finally put pen to paper during a two-day trip to London this week.

His cover story was attending the Crystal Palace-Watford play-off final at Wembley on Monday and visiting friends in the capital.

But the real purpose of the visit was to seal an emotional return to his beloved Blues along with right-hand man Rui Faria.

Now it is expected he will be unveiled next week in a blaze of publicity by the Europa League champions.

That is after he has taken charge of Real’s final game at home to Osasuna on Saturday, which will bring to an end his controversial three-year reign at the Bernabeu.

There is just time for the 50-year-old father of two to squeeze in a holiday with his family before starting work in earnest in July.

Mourinho’s first match looks sure to be the pre-season friendly in Thailand against the Singha All Stars XI, the kick-off to a Far East tour that also takes in Malaysia and Indonesia.

Then he will take the Blues to America for the International Champions Cup tournament which features two of Mourinho’s former clubs, Real Madrid and Inter Milan, as well as Everton, Juventus, AC Milan, Valencia and LA Galaxy.

Much is expected of Mourinho, who won six trophies in just three seasons during his first spell at Chelsea between 2004-07.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/4947332/Jose-Mourinho-is-Chelseas-new-boss-and-thats-official.html

I'm with the group that don't like him but you got to hand it to the cocky prick his record speaks and he would be great back at the blues and the epl.
As fergi mentions it will make him angry and everyone else for that matter hope it happens.

Jose Mourinho to Chelsea? Road to Special One’s second coming not straightforward

Jose Mourinho was yelling at his players. “I need more from you,’’ he shouted at Frank Lampard, John Terry and the rest of the Chelsea team being held 0-0 at Bolton Wanderers on April 30, 2005. Standing in the centre of the dressing-room at half-time, Mourinho demanded a “jersey” for himself.

By Henry Winter10:30PM BST 04 May 20131 Comment
“Give Stevie [Clarke] a jersey, give [Baltemar] Brito a jersey and for five minutes we’ll show you the passion needed to win a game like this,’’ Mourinho declared.
Just five minutes. The three of them would give everything, even though Mourinho’s playing days were both nondescript and distant, Clarke had retired five years before and Brito, 54, was not the most accomplished centre-back ever produced by Brazil. Mourinho was simply challenging his drained players.
They were so close to the title, a first in 50 years. They had worked so hard. They just needed to find that ounce more sweat that Mourinho himself would bring if able to pull on that blue top. “And after five minutes bring oxygen, call an ambulance and take me to hospital,’’ Mourinho said.
Classic Mourinho. There’s a lot of humour to the man, a quality many of his players enjoy but his many critics do not see. His players responded, dragging up the required energy. Lampard scored twice and Chelsea left the Reebok as champions with Joe Cole waving out of the skylight of the team bus.
Managers are assessed on signings, strategies, man-management and the ability to influence the course of games, whether through substitutions, tactical tweaks or interval rhetoric. On Dec 12, 2004, Mourinho let rip at players trailing 2-1 at Highbury. Chelsea’s very frank official biography notes how Mourinho threw a cup full of Lucozade which cascaded down Clarke and Carlo Cudicini.

The missiles, real and verbal, continued. Mourinho launched a tub of Vaseline at the wall, which dripped down towards the clothes of the fitness coach Rui Faria. Mourinho was oblivious, too busy screaming at the players who reacted positively. Eidur Gudjohnsen equalised and Chelsea took an important point. Afterwards, Mourinho apologised for the outburst and assorted projectiles. There’s a humanity to a man often depicted by his enemies as soulless, as a peacock obsessed only with his CV and mirror.
The story of the self-annointed Special One is also of a special impact on others. He inspires players. “Listen guys,’’ Mourinho told the Chelsea squad on their first meeting in 2004, “you’ve done nothing in the game but if you stick with me we are going to win this league by April’.’’ Cole looked at Mourinho. “Who is this geezer?” he thought. Then training started. It was so intense and well-structured that all the players knew they were going places with this cocksure coach. Cole played his most effective football under Mourinho.
Lampard used his autobiography to record his gratitude to Mourinho for developing him. Emerging from the showers in Seattle in pre-season that 2004 summer, Lampard was told by the waiting Mourinho that he was “the best player in the world” and now was the time to prove it, to dominate games and win trophies.
Mourinho makes good players believe more, deliver more. He fell short at Real Madrid, barring one remarkable La Liga campaign, but otherwise he has enthused squads from Porto to Chelsea and Inter Milan. And not only players. Look around the Premier League. Mourinho’s tutoring can be seen in the burgeoning achievements of three highly regarded young managers, Andre Villas-Boas, Brendan Rodgers and Clarke.
Anyone seeking to judge properly this complicated coach must also contemplate the charge-sheet. For all his charisma, Mourinho lacks the dignity of Michael Laudrup or Carlo Ancelotti, whose feted playing days bequeathed a security so they never feel the urge to indulge in managerial tricks. Mourinho’s career is a catalogue of mind games, frequent jibes against referees like Anders Frisk, unseemly comments about opposing managers like Arsène Wenger and occasional rifts with players like Iker Casillas. He winds up rival fans, shushing Kopites. He even poked Tito Vilanova of Barcelona in the eye. He has done much wrong.
The Spanish media will not miss 'Mou'. El Mundo newspaper contacted me last week, enquiring why Mourinho feels loved in England and loathed in Spain. He is popular here because he adds spice to football life, because he takes on Manchester United and because he is fun. Last Friday’s diatribe at the Spanish media would have caused delight here.
“The press don’t know the starting XI? Correct. I don’t put your beloved children in the team? Correct.” Such comments would have been greeted with gales of laughter at an English press conference.
Now he prepares to leave Real amidst much flirting with his old love Chelsea. The strong expectation had hitherto been that he would continue his European tour by alighting in France, at Paris St-Germain, a club with all the hallmarks of a Mourinho project. Wealthy, ambitious benefactor? Tick. Long time without European glory? Tick.
But the talk is now of Chelsea who need an adrenalin shot, a bonding agent. Rafael Benítez has guided them to the Europa League final but the gulf remains between interim manager and fans and the gap grows behind team and Premier League leaders. Mourinho would galvanise Chelsea in the league, making them pursue United more tenaciously. Mourinho’s return would stir up the title pot. “It will make me angry,’’ remarked Sir Alex Ferguson.
The road to the Special One’s Second Coming is not straightforward. So many questions need considering by Roman Abramovich and the board. Could Mourinho work with Michael Emenalo, the technical director who drives transfer policy with Abramovich? Could Mourinho persuade Chelsea to keep Lampard? Do any of the players still have issues with him? Not all were heartbroken at his leaving on Sept 20, 2007.
Will he give youth a chance? Chelsea boast a string of talented youngsters from FA Youth Cup finalists to Romelu Lukaku on prolific loan at Clarke’s West Brom. Mourinho does not have a reputation of gambling on kids, although he has been rewarded for backing Raphael Varane, one of Europe’s rising stars, at the Bernabeu.
And what will his style be? The title winners of 2005 and 2006 were all about power. Chelsea’s recent direction under Abramovich involves turning the pitch into a canvas for the elegant brush-strokes of artists like Juan Mata, Oscar and Eden Hazard. Small is beautiful. Mourinho has utilised such nimble creatures before from Deco at Porto, Cole at Chelsea, Wesley Sneijder at Inter and through the creativity of Mesut Ozil, Angel di Maria and of course the tall, athletic match-winner Cristiano Ronaldo at Real. Mourinho’s teams have become more expansive.
Chelsea’s board seem to want to build the team, arguably the club, around David Luiz, who is likely to succeed Terry as captain. Luiz is the conundrum everyone must consider when rushing Mourinho back to SW6. It is hard to see the risk-taking Brazilian as a Mourinho stalwart, certainly not in defence where the coach prefers more calculating characters like Ricardo Carvalho at Porto and Chelsea, Walter ‘The Wall’ Samuel at Inter, and the physical Sergio Ramos at Real.
Luiz has been stationed in midfield to eye-catching effect by Benítez. Yet Mourinho wants a defensive type in there from Costinha at Porto, Claude Makelele at Chelsea to Javier Zanetti and Esteban Cambiasso at Inter. At Real, he has paired Sami Khedira and Xabi Alonso (with great passing range). If Mourinho does return to the Bridge, his use of Luiz will be fascinating. Abramovich will be watching closely. Everyone will. Nobody attracts attention quite like Jose Mourinho.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/chelsea/10037775/Jose-Mourinho-to-Chelsea-Road-to-Special-Ones-second-coming-not-straightforward.html   

Jose Mourinho drops huge hint about move to Chelsea: 'Clubs in England love me - especially one'

The Real Madrid manager was speaking after his side's Champions League exit at the hands of Borussia Dortmund
PETE JENSON THE BERNABEU WEDNESDAY 01 MAY 2013


Jose Mourinho gave the clearest indication yet that he will leave Real Madrid and go back to Chelsea at the end of the season after failing to get the Spanish side into the Champions League final for the third time of asking following a 4-3 defeat on agreegate to Borussia Dortmund.

“There are clubs in England that love me; especially one” said Mourinho when asked if he was more appreciated in the Premier League than in Spain. It almost sounded like the “I am a special one” all over again.

Asked if the decision had already been taken he said: “I have not made a decision out of respect for my club. I have a contract, not that contracts are worth that much these days. But I want to play the Spanish Cup final at the end of the season and I want to finish second in the league.

”And then I will sit down with Florentino Perez my president and my friend. I know I am loved in England by the supporter,s by the media who treat me in a fair way criticising me when it is merited and praising me when it is deserved.

“Here in Spain some people hate me and it is difficult to make my decision because I like the club and I have a lot of affection for people here. We have made a great team that is ready to win something.”

The sub-text throughout was that Real Madrid might get to the European summit but Mourinho would not be going there with them. He added: “The important thing is that Real Madrid win it [their 10th European Cup] that is what is important. I don't live by what nearly happens. It has been three great years in the competition for them and the 10th will come.

”If it comes with me then great and if not then great because I have a lot of friends here. We failed in the first season because they didn't let us win. In the second we went out on penalties and this time we went out because of a terrible first game. But Madrid is a fantastic club and because of these last three years they are now top seeds in the competition.“


http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/european/jose-mourinho-drops-huge-hint-about-move-to-chelsea-clubs-in-england-love-me--especially-one-8598288.html

Chelsea offer Frank Lampard new deal after contract re-think

Club to relent and hand England midfielder extension to stay for possible Jose Mourinho return
SAM WALLACE WEDNESDAY 01 MAY 2013

Frank Lampard's Chelsea career looks set to extend beyond next month and into another season as there is a willingness from the club to offer him a one-year extension, once the new manager is in place this summer.

The saga has run all season with unhappiness among supporters that Lampard, 34, has been allowed to drift out of contract despite his desire to stay. The Independent understands that the mood has changed lately at the club and that a one-year deal, on around his current pay scale, will be offered to him.

The announcement of a new contract would not be made until after the season is over, and most likely when a new manager arrives. The lead candidate is Jose Mourinho, who would naturally support any deal for Lampard. There is even a suggestion that Mourinho would announce Lampard's deal at his first press conference.

Eliminated by Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League semi-finals, Mourinho gave the clearest indication yet that he would leave Real Madrid this summer and return to Chelsea. “There are clubs in England that love me; especially one,” he said

Earlier in an ITV interview that was cut short, Mourinho described Chelsea as “a special club”. He added: “I want to be where people love me to be.”

Lampard staying will virtually guarantee that he will surpass Bobby Tambling's club record of 202 goals. Lampard is on 201 with no more than six games left in the season.

There has been cautious interest from Sir Alex Ferguson in the player, 35 in June when he is due to become a free agent. Lampard was also close to a deal with Los Angeles Galaxy, whose Major League Soccer season began last month, but that has fallen through.

Key to any potential deal between LA Galaxy and Lampard was Tim Lieweke, formerly president and chief executive of AEG, the owners of the franchise. When he left the LA Galaxy in March the chances of Lampard moving there reduced significantly.

The observations of the England manager, Roy Hodgson, that he would prefer Lampard to be based in Europe, have been another consideration.

The club will not wish to present any new contract for Lampard as a change of heart on their part. In the event of the deal being done they are likely to say that it was a decision made once the situation was assessed at the end of the season.

The one-year deal for Ashley Cole, announced in January, was agreed at close to his current pay deal, worth around £200,000-a-week. Nevertheless, the days when the club was dominated by the English contingent are long gone. The players whom the Roman Abramovich hierarchy look to now are Petr Cech, David Luiz and Fernando Torres.

The interim first-team coach Rafa Benitez could potentially have all but one of his first-team squad available for selection for tomorrow's Europa League semi-final second leg against Basle at Stamford Bridge. Gary Cahill played the full game against Swansea City on Sunday, leaving only Oriol Romeu among the long-term injured.

Deal or no deal: Blues' old guard

Petr Cech, 30

Chelsea's number one goakeeper has three years left on his contract having joined the club in July 2004.

Ashley Cole, 32

The England left-back joined from Arsenal in 2006 and was given a year extension in January, keeping him at the club until 2014.

John Terry, 32

Terry made his Chelsea debut in 1998 and has been at the club ever since. But the captain has only a year left on his contract.

Paulo Ferreira, 34

The Portuguese full-back looks set to leave as a free agent in the summer.

Yossi Benayoun, 32

The Israeli's contract is up at the end of the season and there is no sign of a renewal.

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/chelsea-offer-frank-lampard-new-deal-after-contract-rethink-8598278.html