Open letter to Jose Mourinho from a Mancunian

My dear Jose,

I am stuck in a limbo; not sure whether to be happy you are back to the Premier League or be wary of Chelsea’s prospects in competing for the league title next season. Despite this uncertainty, I would like to extend to you a very warm and hearty welcome back to England.

Your latest stint with Los Blancos might have ended in disappointment, but contrary to popular belief I think you were successful at Madrid. With Barcelona under the effervescent Pep Guardiola becoming almost an unbeatable side, you planned Real Madrid’s windfall by clinching the 2011-12 La Liga title smashing multiple records on the way. You forced Pep’s sabbatical from football, Jose. Yet when you leave on the back of a trophy-less season from the Santiago Bernabeu, fans call it ‘Good Riddance’.

But the Chelsea fans would never do that; you know it yourself, don’t you? The most successful period in the club’s rather short history coincided with you being at the club. You are the sole reason why Chelsea Football Club have as many fans that they do have now, worldwide. When you left the London club by apparent ‘mutual consent’, for failing to deliver the much coveted European crown to Roman Abramovich, the fans were brought to a naught. The impasse between you and the Russian owner reached a point of no salvation with Chelsea starting the 2007-08 season with a 3 match winless streak. Your ego and your continuous disapproval of the appointment of a Director of football, the mere thought of having to share the power that there is with someone must have pushed you over the edge. We know.

Yet you rolled on, went on to win the Champions League with Inter and rubbing it in Roman’s face. You enjoyed that, din’t you? But now you’re back, knowing well that the demands of neither the job nor the owner have changed since then. People might call you an escapist, a coward for opting the easier option of quitting the Real job rather than win back whatever was lost; most importantly your pride. But I don’t think you are one, Jose. You will be surprised to know how many Mancunians ‘secretly’ prayed for your appointment as the boss after Sir Alex called it a day. They rate you, as much as they hate you.

But, the Blues’ fans love you. You have claimed to be a part of the club itself and declared your intent on sticking here for a long time to come. You have proven yourself to be a hypocrite time and again, don’t you do that again. There is a sense of belief, renewed among the Chelsea faithful and it would be a cardinal sin to prove their trust and faith to be misplaced. With romance in football fast dying and you being hardly a romantic, you and Chelsea Football Club could still make a perfect love story. For once, un-Jose yourself and

Keep the Blue Flag Flying High.

Yours,

A Mancunian