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Chelsea captain John Terry says he is prepared to lead a players' protest to persuade the club's hierarchy to keep boss Jose Mourinho at Stamford Bridge.

Mourinho has been widely linked with a move away from the Premiership champions at the end of the season.

"We don't want Jose to go and if it takes five or six of the senior players to tell them so, then that's what we're prepared to do," said Terry.

"We are all loyal to Jose but this is putting pressure on everyone."

Mourinho is in his third season with Chelsea and has led the club to two Premiership titles during his tenure.


I think he will be here next season, I really do

John Terry on Jose Mourinho
But he is rumoured to be unhappy with the Blues board over a lack of transfer funds in January to add to his injury-hit squad and has been linked with Real Madrid and Inter Milan.

After Saturday's emphatic 4-0 win over Wigan, Mourinho refused to confirm if he would see out the rest of his Chelsea contract, which ties him to the club until 2010.

He said: "I am still young for a manager but I am very old in football. I will be 44 next week, so I've lived in football for 44 years.

"I've seen so many things in football, since I was a kid. In football you cannot be 100% categorical about some issues.

"When I say the club is more important than me - the future of the club is more important.

"My future is not important in this context and in this moment everyone in the club should think about the club and not himself."

But Mourinho did deny reports that there had been attempts to remove Steve Clarke as his number two - and said that if such a decision was made then the club would have to take him away from his role as well.

Mourinho insisted: "I can say that it is not true. One thing is for sure that it is not true.

"The second thing I can say is that, although it is completely untrue, if the club try to do that - they would have to do me and him together because without him I would not work in this club.

"The club has respect for Steve and they know how good an assistant he is and they know how important he is for our work. It is complete nonsense. The people around me are together."

However, England captain Terry, who is currently sidelined with back and calf injuries, is confident that Mourinho will stay at Chelsea.

"Jose is the best in the business, there's no doubt about that, and I am sure he will be for the next 20 years," said Terry.

"That's what we want at Chelsea, the best and only the best.

"I am convinced he will stay. I think he will be here next season, I really do."

Chelsea striker Didier Drogba has also expressed his desire for the self-styled 'Special One' to remain in London.

"Losing him will be extremely painful, it's not easy losing a good friend," the striker told The Sun.

"I don't know if it will happen but if it's true it is very sad. Stories keep cropping up but hopefully he'll stay."

Drogba says the Chelsea players are desperate for Mourinho to stay with the club and lead them to even greater heights.


I would be disappointed if he was leaving - I enjoy the competition against him

Man Utd boss Sir Alex Ferguson
The Ivorian added: "Jose has built a culture that has become Chelsea's.

"We're in love with his style of coaching and the confidence he has infused into the team.

"I just hope people give us and the boss a break about this talk because it's not good for the team."

Mourinho has also found unlikely support from some of his rival Premiership bosses, who are keen for the maverick Portuguese coach to remain in England.

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson said: "I would be disappointed if he was leaving.

"I have enjoyed his company in the times we meet after the game and things like that.

"He has a good personality and I enjoy the competition against him."

606 DEBATE: Your thoughts on Jose Mourinho

Fulham boss Chris Coleman added: "You will only see how big a loss Jose is after he has gone.

"He has won back-to-back titles, won the Carling Cup, reached the semi-finals of the Champions League.

"That is why any successor has to be better. If they do not better that, it is a backward step for Chelsea."

Newcastle boss Glenn Roeder said it would be a "great loss to the Premiership" if Mourinho left.

Roeder continued: "I am sure the big one he wants is the Champions League, that is probably the only one that would really, really satisfy Jose Mourinho.

"He has worked hard to get into the position he is in and he is fortunate to have a squad of players lots of other managers would die for."

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