Jose Mourinho Keen On A Chelsea Spree

Jose Mourinho was unveiled as Real Madrid boss on Monday – and refused to rule out a raid on Chelsea for Ashley Cole and Frank Lampard.

‘The Special One’ quit Inter Milan to sign a four-year contract at the Bernabeu and wants to make at least three new signings.

He has always wanted to be reunited with Lampard since their days together at Chelsea and now has the spending power to make a serious bid.

Cole’s future at Stamford Bridge is also in doubt after wife Cheryl filed for divorce. He is another player Mourinho admires.

The new Real boss did his best to play down talk of a swoop yesterday but could not resist throwing the names of both men into the mix.

Mourinho said: “It’s normal people ask about players such as Ashley Cole or Frank Lampard. They are former players of mine and I always have good relations with them.

“But I don’t like to talk about players because their prices will go up if I do! We need three or four players to give us flexibility in the way we might play, but I predict a quiet summer.

“We need small adjustments. We have clear profiles of the type of players we need and these are more important than names.”

Mourinho claims he wants to win everything with Real, and insists his first job will be to tame former Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo.

The Portugal winger was Madrid’s best player last season, but Mourinho warned him he will have to get to grips with a new team ethic from now on.

Mourinho said: “I understand that Ronaldo is an important player for Real and for the world of football, but my players must understand that the most important thing is the club.

“Cristiano likes to win, so if he likes to win it is not difficult to persuade him the most important thing is not the coach or the players but the club.

“If we all work as a group, we will get results. I like to give myself a challenge and this is a big one. I have a lot of confidence in myself and my ability as a coach.

“I want this group to have an identity, to win everything.”

Mourinho won back-to-back titles and the Champions League with Inter, who got nearly £7m compensation from Real for him.

He added: “I don’t change my level of ambition or motivation. I gave everything to every club where I have been. I will do the same here. I don’t feel any kind of different pressure.

“I am a coach that improves day by day. I arrive with everything a coach can win at club football.”

“I don’t know if I was born to coach Real Madrid, but I was born to be a football coach. I am Jose Mourinho and I don’t change.

“I arrive with all my qualities and defects.

“My attraction to Real is due to its history, its frustrations in recent years and its expectations to win.

“It’s a unique club and I believe that not to coach Real leaves a void in a coach’s career.

“Luckily, I’ve had a beautiful career and it makes me proud to have come here.”

Ashley Cole: England Are Good Enough To Win The World Cup

Chelsea left-back Ashley Cole believes that England are capable of winning the World Cup this summer in South Africa.

The 29-year-old and the rest of the Three Lions final World Cup squad will fly to Johannesburg on Tuesday and Cole is adamant that the team’s sole ambition in South Africa is to win the tournament and be crowned world champions for the second time.

"I think we can win it and that's what we're going there to do,” Cole told The Mirror.

"I'm not going to say we ARE going to win the World Cup but I am willing to say we're good enough to win it.

"If you look at players like Stevie G, Lamps, Rio and Rooney, we have some great players in that team.

"And so, if we all play well on the day and have a bit of luck, you never know."

Despite shaky victories in warm-up matches against Mexico and Japan, England is confident that they will be playing their best when they open their World Cup against the United States in Rustenburg on June 12.

In addition to USA, England are matched with Slovenia and Algeria in Group C, leaving the Three Lions as the heavy favourites to win the group.

With a possible quarter-final match-up against France, who struggled to a 1-1 draw against Tunisia on Sunday, Cole acknowledged that England gained a favourable draw, avoiding some of the top teams in the early stages.

"When the draw was made, I think there were a few teams we'd have liked to have missed - and we managed to miss them.

"What's important is that we're not over-confident and I don't think we are going to be going into the competition.

"But we feel that if we play as well as we can, to our capabilities, I don't think we'll have a problem at all."

The Chelsea star has been a mainstay for England at the last two World Cups and could break Bobby Moore and Terry Butcher’s record for finals appearances for a Three Lions defender if he appears in five games in South Africa.

Terry: Defensive Improvement Needed

John Terry believes tightening up a suspect defence is the key to England's World Cup hopes.

England have conceded set-piece goals to both Mexico and Japan during recent warm-up victories ahead of the tournament in South Africa.

Coach Fabio Capello has rotated his defenders during the two games with Terry, skipper Rio Ferdinand, Jamie Carragher, Ledley King, Ashley Cole, Leighton Baines and Glen Johnson all seeing game time.

That has led to a lack of stability which former captain Terry believes will be vital if England are to succeed in South Africa.

"The manager had stressed in the week that with the pace we have, the quality we have going forward, we're always going to create chances and score goals," said the Chelsea captain.

"It's up to us to keep it tight at the back. The goal we conceded against Mexico, and a couple of set-plays, are things we'll have to work on.

"But if we can keep it tight at the back, then we've got enough quality going forward which means we can always get a goal."

Terry and Ferdinand are set to start the tournament as Capello's first-choice central defensive partnership, with Cole and Johnson operating as attacking full-backs.

"It's been a while since we've played together as a back four," added Terry.

"Obviously I know Ashley and also Johnson from his Chelsea days, but myself and Rio have got a good understanding so when we slot in alongside each other, we know each other's game well enough."

Fabio Capello To Persist With Steven Gerrard And Frank Lampard Pairing

Fabio Capello is well aware the trouble past England managers have had trying to get Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard playing in tandem – but it will not stop him starting them in the centre of midfield for the World Cup opener against the USA.

The conundrum of how to get the best from England’s finest two attacking midfielders proved beyond Sven-Goran Eriksson and Steve McClaren.

Capello discovered the answer, shifting the Liverpool captain to a role on the left which allowed him to drift in.

Yet he looks set to turn the clock back because of the ankle injury to Gareth Barry, a certain starter in the centre of midfield if fit.

‘I know the history,’ said Capello. ‘This is a big question for you always? Can’t play together? Probably both were too young. That was a joke. I hope that they can play together.’

Capello was impressed when the pair played together in the second half of Sunday’s 2-1 friendly win against Japan and the Italian added: ‘Good players can move positions.

'Frank and Steve are used to going forward because they have a holding player alongside them. If they play together, one will have to stay.’

Captain Rio Ferdinand also believes the pair can play alongside each other.

He said: ‘They both did it against Japan. It worked well and we looked very dangerous.’

Capello will receive the latest medical bulletin on Barry this morning.

He expects to be told the Manchester City man will be fit to train immediately after the USA game, meaning he will make his 23-man squad.

Deco Heading Out On A High

Deco is hoping his last World Cup will be one to remember for his adopted nation of Portugal, even if it means defeating his country of birth on the way.

The 32-year-old was born and bred in Brazil before switching to Portugal and Benfica in 1997, eventually taking up citizenship after impressing at Porto.

The man who picked him for Portugal, Luiz Felipe Scolari, was the same man who had ignored him while Brazil coach, and has since admitted his regret at never picking the diminutive playmaker.

Deco scored on his Portuguese debut in a friendly against the Brazilians, and now prepares to face them in a competitive environment for the first time, having been drawn together in Group G alongside Ivory Coast and North Korea.

'It is not hard to play against Brazil, but it is different,' the midfielder told the Official Chelsea Website. 'Of course they are my home country and it is special. This is the first time I have played them in the World Cup, but I have played before in friendlies.

'Most of my family are pushing for me, they are in Brazil, they live in Brazil, but they are pushing for me. But of course Brazil will be favourites against us.

'A country that has won the World Cup five times will always be the favourite.'

But what of his own side's chances in South Africa?

'We have a strong team with great players,' he explained, before commenting on the importance of one Cristiano Ronaldo to the side's chances. 'We have a player who is one of the best in the world, if not the very best. In relation to World Cup 2006 this team has more quality.'

Then, Portugal finished fourth after semi-final defeat to France, but is he sure this tournament will be his final international involvement, with qualifying for Euro 2012 only just around the corner?

'Yes it is my last tournament, definitely,' he smiled. 'It is because I need to have more time for my family. For me it will be the last World Cup and I hope to be remembered positively.

'I feel a certain nostalgia, I spent great years so far, made great friends, I was really well received. The [international] selection was where I felt at home, that encouraged me a lot. [After] almost eight years, I am very happy.'

Rooney Key To Manchester United's Bid For Joe Cole

Today's Manchester Evening News speculates that not only is Manchester United chasing Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole, but that a World Cup link up with Wayne Rooney could be critical in securing a move to Old Trafford.

Cole is out of contract at Chelsea and has yet to agree a new deal, with the Stamford Bridge club reluctant to meet his wage demands. The 28-year-old has also found it difficult to hold down a regular first-team place in Carlo Ancelotti's side.

Cole is set to become a free agent and although it appears that Harry Redknapp is the favourite to sign the midfielder for Tottenham, the Manchester Evening News claims that Sir Alex Ferguson is "desperate" to bring him to Manchester United.

Apparently, Ferguson is particularly keen on utilizing Cole's versatility. He is able to play in central midfield, out wide, or just off a striker as he did yesterday with Wayne Rooney during England's 2-1 friendly win over Japan.

The Manchester Evening News speculates that should Cole and Manchester United striker Rooney form a good understanding during the World Cup, it will significantly boost the chances of Cole's arrival at Old Trafford.

The local newspaper also claims that Ferguson's unrivaled track record of winning trophies at Manchester United will be an advantage to attract Cole ahead of the likes of Arsenal and Tottenham.

Arsenal & Tottenham Hotspur Now Lead Race To Sign Chelsea Forward Joe Cole

Joe Cole is now wanted by Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur when his Chelsea contract expires in a few days' time, with interest from Manchester United having cooled, according to a report from The Daily Mail.

The playmaker, expected to be named in Fabio Capello's final 23-man party for the World Cup later on Tuesday, has been linked with a clutch of England's top clubs this summer.

Chelsea are currently reportedly pursuing Liverpool's Yossi Benayoun, a player whose arrival would cast serious doubts over Cole's future at Stamford Bridge.

With no further overtures from the Blues regarding a new deal, it now appears that a move across London is on the cards for Cole, with the north of the capital looking his likely destination.

Chelsea Striker Franco Di Santo A Cut-Price Target For Bolton Wanderers

Bolton Wanderers manager Owen Coyle is weighing up a bargain move for Chelsea outcast Franco Di Santo, according to reports.

The giant Argentinean striker spent last season on loan at Blackburn Rovers and is understood to be surplus to requirements at Stamford Bridge. Despite only scoring one Premier League goal for their Lancashire rivals, Bolton are set to compete with Dutch champions FC Twente to secure his signature, say The People.

The former youth international has struggled to feature for Chelsea since joining from Chilean outfit Audax Italiano two years ago, making just eight scoreless league appearances.

With Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka ahead of him in the pecking order, along with youngsters Fabio Borini and Daniel Sturridge, first team chances would be severely limited again next season.

My Favourite Games: Petr Cech

Today we launch a new feature for the summer, where Chelsea players tell us about their favourite matches played in, and watched.

First up is number one, Petr Cech, who with the absence of World Cup action this summer will have the opportunity to take in plenty more games on TV.

The goalkeeper has hundreds to pick from for his favourite game ever played but the most enjoyable match he ever watched may have slipped many fans' minds, despite its nine goals and two red cards.

It was a meeting in 2001 between a team from the banks of the Mersey and a lesser-known Spanish side.

When Liverpool reached the Uefa Cup Final nine years ago, not many expected their opponents Alaves to compete against a side with such impressive credentials in Europe.

But the game that unfolded is one of the most memorable clashes in recent times and it took Liverpool until stoppage time, and a fifth goal, to seal victory after Alaves came back from being 2-0, 3-1 and 4-3 down to force extra-time.

That's when experience shone through for the eventual winners after Alaves had two men sent off and Liverpool's nerves held to net the winner, albeit indirectly, when Delfi Geli deflected a Gary McAllister corner into his own net.

'It is hard to choose my favourite game to watch because there were a few games I loved watching,' explained the shot-stopper, 'but one of them is definitely the Uefa Cup Final when Liverpool beat Alaves in 2001, it finished 5-4. It was such a great game.
'It must have been a great game to play in as well because the game was changing every minute, nine goals in a final is great.

'Nobody ever expected Alaves to be in the final of the Uefa Cup but they came so close and they really fought for the glory but it was one of those games. They scored four goals but it was not enough.'

Cech's favourite game to play in is another match which unfolded on the European stage and is a game that remains vivid in many Chelsea fans' minds.

Reaching the quarter-finals of the Champions League is never easy, but in 2005 Chelsea overcame one of the biggest obstacles in club football when we hosted Barcelona at the Bridge.

At the time everyone, neutrals and fans alike, expected a phenomenal game of football but no one could have predicted the entertainment that unfolded.

Chelsea raced into a three-goal lead thanks to strikes from Eidur Gudjohnsen, Frank Lampard and Damien Duff but when Paulo Ferreira handled in the area, Barcelona were given the chance to pull one back.

Ronaldhino converted the spot-kick to make it 3-1 before a magical flick from the edge of the box by the Brazilian made it two for the visitors.

But a John Terry header 14 minutes from time sealed the win for Chelsea as we went on to the quarter-finals of the competition.

'My favourite game I ever played is definitely the Chelsea v Barcelona second leg in 2005, when we won 4-2 and made it through to the quarter-finals of the Champions League,' Cech explains.

'This was simply a great game to watch for everyone and it was a great game to play in and be involved in.

'For neutral fans and fans following the teams it was a brilliant game of football with a lot of chances, a lot of goals and a lot of great football and the atmosphere was outstanding.

'We were 3-0 up then it went to 3-2 before we got the winner, so it was full of emotions.

'The emotions of everyone on the pitch were changing constantly and we all worked so hard for the result. There were some fantastic goals also. It was just a very special game.'

Father Of John Terry Spared Jail For Drug Deal

The father of England and Chelsea defender John Terry was spared jail on Tuesday for supplying cocaine to an undercover reporter after a judge said he was a victim of entrapment.

Edward Terry, the 56-year-old father of the former England captain, admitted supplying 3.5 grammes of the drug to the journalist from the News of the World when he appeared before magistrates last month.

"Employees of a national newspaper decided to mount what was in effect a sting operation against Mr. Terry to ascertain whether he could or would supply class A drugs," prosecutor Paul Scothern told Basildon Crown Court on Tuesday.

The court heard the reporter, Dan Sanderson, had befriended Terry at a wine bar he frequented near his home in Essex, over a six-week period.

On November 5 last year, Sanderson, who was posing as a chauffeur, asked Terry where he could buy cocaine for his boss and his friend.

Terry said he could supply it and agreed a fee of 120 pounds while he also asked for 40 pounds for facilitating the deal. He left the bar and returned about 15 minutes later with the cocaine, the Press Association reported.

"Mr. Terry would not have acted in the way he did and committed this offence but for being enticed by the journalist who befriends Mr. Terry, meets with him on a couple of dozen occasions at the minimum, simply for a tabloid story," Terry's lawyer Neil Saunders said.

Terry was sentenced to a suspended prison term of six months and ordered to do 100 hours of community service.

"It is a very, very clear case of entrapment solely to create a newspaper story," said Judge Christopher Mitchell.

John Terry, 29, was stripped of the England captaincy in February following newspaper reports about his private life.