Mourinho hails his 'great' record

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Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho continued his verbal sparring with Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger ahead of Sunday's Carling Cup final in Cardiff.

Earlier this week, Wenger said there were some managers who had won the Champions League who would "not be considered as great".

Mourinho, who took Porto to the 2004 title, responded with: "I think I am a great manager. Not many did what I did.

"I'm not the best, but I'm in the group of eight, 10, 12, 14 in the world."

News conference: Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho

Mourinho also reiterated that he had no intention of leaving Chelsea before the end of his contract.

"There are only two ways for me to leave Chelsea. One way is in June 2010. I finish my contract then, and if the club does not give me a new one, it is the end of my contract and I am out," he said.


I think it has everything to be a good final

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho

"The second way is for Chelsea to sack me. There is not a third way - the way the manager decides to leave and walks away. No chance. I would never do this to Chelsea supporters."

Mourinho won the Portuguese title, the Uefa Cup and the Champions League with Porto before moving to Chelsea and leading them to successive top flight titles and a Carling Cup triumph.

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He said: "I am the best in the history of my country. I think that's enough. Portugal is not third world. So what I did there is good enough.

"I came to England and won the title with Chelsea 50 years after they last won it. I was the first to win the title in the first year in the club. I won it twice.

"I won other competitions. I have a few records in the Premiership, I think. Records for victories or goals or not conceding goals, or something like that.

"Victories at home or unbeatable at home is not a record, but we are not far from the record for that."

However, the Portuguese boss did back Wenger who said that managers who had not won European club football's premier competition can still be considered as "great".

"He is a great manager who has never won the Champions League so I completely agree with him," added the Chelsea manager.

The pre-Carling Cup final jibes began when Mourinho used Wenger as a "big example" of managers who have failed to win the Champions League when discussing his own triumph with Porto in 2004.

Meanwhile, Wenger revealed he is not tempted to change his policy of fielding the Arsenal youngsters who have already disposed of Everton, Liverpool and Spurs en route to the final.

He said: "Not the slightest temptation. I have full confidence in these players and I like to do what I say."


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Wenger is expecting a physical battle in Cardiff, with Chelsea possibly playing their strongest side, apart from injured captain John Terry.

He said: "The game of Chelsea is based on experience and power, ours will be based on mobility and movement.

"It will be very important for us to try to stop them in decisive moments in the game by taking over that physical power."

Mourinho is expecting a high-quality clash, saying: "When a team goes to the final for the first time, or that final is the only way to win a trophy, I think the game can be more emotional and less quality."

"But this is a case where we have won it before and Arsenal have won it before. It is not the main target for Chelsea, and I believe it is not the main target for Arsenal.

"So I believe it is a final that has conditions to be less emotional and more quality. I think it has everything to be a good final."