Mourinho christens self ‘Happy One’

Chelsea return buoys former Real Madrid manager.

LONDON: A reflective Jose Mourinho yesterday transformed himself into the ‘Happy One’ as he embarked on his second spell in charge of Chelsea, outlining his hunger for fresh glory at the Premier League side.

“I’m the happy one,” the 50-year-old Portuguese told reporters.

“Time flies. It looks like it was a couple of days ago but it was nine years ago and since then lots of things have happened in my professional life. But I have the same nature. I’m the same person, I have the same heart. I have the same kind of emotions related to my passion for football and my job.

“If I have to describe myself, I would describe myself as a very happy person because it’s the first time I arrive at a club where I already love the club.”

‘No grudge against Abramovich’

Mourinho led Chelsea to back-to-back titles during his first spell between 2004 and 2007 but left after a reported falling out with club owner Roman Abramovich.

But he maintained that those reports were false, instead saying that he left ‘by mutual agreement’, albeit with a heavy heart.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 11^th, 2013.