Why Chelsea Should Not Panic and Retain Jose Mourinho

“It really is not my fault if he was considered a loser at Chelsea.”

In 2010, as reported by the Mail on Sunday, this was how Jose Mourinho chose to dismiss and belittle Claudio Ranieri, the man he succeeded at Chelsea, when the pair were both managing in Italy.

It was typical Mourinho: boorish, ungracious and unnecessarily combative. On Monday night, however, Ranieri has the pleasure of peering down on him from third place in the Premier League as his Leicester City welcome Chelsea to the King Power Stadium.

If Leicester triumph on Monday, they will return to the summit of the table while Chelsea will languish near the bottom in 16th place only one point above the relegation zone.

Five years on, Mourinho has become the "loser at Chelsea," and it will deeply rankle with him that he has to face Ranieri in such a vulnerable state. 

In his pre-match press conference ahead of their meeting, a contrite Mourinho was already forced to make nice and declared, as reported by ESPN FC: “I always had respect for [Ranieri].”

For all the humiliations Mourinho has suffered this season—the home defeats to Crystal Palace, Southampton and Bournemouth—a defeat to Ranieri’s side on Monday would be the lowest moment of Chelsea’s season and possibly of Mourinho’s entire career.

Frank Augstein/Associated Press

But even if Chelsea were to suffer a ninth league defeat in only 16 games, the club’s owner Roman Abramovich should resist any urge to dismiss Mourinho for the second time in eight years.

Chelsea are clearly battered and bruised—losing on such a regular basis is an uncomfortable experience—but they should not panic, and Mourinho must retain his position at Stamford Bridge and see out this season. 

The only reason for a club to change its manager at this stage of the season is to stave off the threat of relegation, and that is not a real concern for Chelsea.

It feels strange to even type this sentence, but Chelsea will not go down this season, so they should use the rest of the campaign to consolidate and plot for next season while continuing to challenge in the Champions League and FA Cup.

A run at a top-four place is unlikely but still possible. Overall, though, Chelsea need to calmly accept their position and start planning for next season.

At this stage, the dismissal of Mourinho would be an epic act of self-destruction.

Matt Dunham/Associated Press

Imagine next summer a scolded Mourinho bent on revenge and—fuelled by all the crowing and criticism he has had to endure this season—preparing to take on the Premier League.

That would be a powerful force for Chelsea to be driven by next season.

Mourinho can be a narcissistic bore, so inevitably many are revelling in his downfall this season, but he more than any other manager in world football should be allowed one bad season, even one as wretched as this.

History is littered with examples of the very best managers having poor seasons before looking within and realising the potential of their sides.

At Manchester United, Sir Matt Busby finished as low as 19th in 1963, but he would win two titles in the next four seasons. Bob Paisley had to settle for a disappointing finish of fifth in 1981, but the next three seasons would bring Liverpool three consecutive titles, two under his reign.

These might be examples from earlier, more innocent, times, but they prove showing patience with great managers can be quickly rewarded.

This may well already be the prevailing wisdom at Stamford Bridge, for Abramovich has uncharacteristically refrained from any rash actions so far.

Mourinho may be going through a fallow period, but Chelsea still boast the best manager in the world.

A quick glimpse at his portfolio, which includes lifting the Premier League title only seven months ago, will confirm that.

Scott Heppell/Associated Press

And who could possibly be a better appointment and offer more to Chelsea than Mourinho?

The return of Carlo Ancelotti has a romanticism about it, but it would be a backward step, and he was deemed not good enough at the club only four years ago.

Jurgen Klopp is now taken, Pep Guardiola is otherwise engaged in Bavaria and Diego Simeone is a risk and consumed by his project with Atletico Madrid.

Chelsea’s business in the transfer market was surprisingly modest last summer—you strengthen when you’re ahead, but they failed to heed that lesson. 

They have a talented squad, but it needed a sprinkle of gold dust, a statement signing to inspire those already in the dressing room.

If Chelsea are brave enough to ride out this difficult period and back a chastened Mourinho, next summer, they will once more find themselves challenging for the title they will relinquish this season. 

Whatever the result at the King Power Stadium on Monday night, Chelsea need to hold their nerve and retain the services of Mourinho.