Comment: Cold shoulder as Mourinho gets dirty

If imitation is the most sincere form of flattery, then Alex Ferguson will have blushing red cheeks following Jose Mourinho’s latest replication of one of his most infamous initiatives, writes Wally Downes.

In retaliation to his latest charge by the FA, a £25,000 (€33,000) fine for claiming there is a campaign against his side and the three-match ban Diego Costa received for stamping, the Chelsea boss refused to fulfil his media duties prior to and after the 1-1 draw with Man City.

In previous and similar situations, the club has put forward his assistant Steve Holland to represent them but, in a clear indication that this stance is a direct retaliation rather than an excuse for some respite, Holland was not offered up. A blanket ban had been put in place.

Ferguson refused to speak to the BBC for seven years because he believed a programme they aired implicated his son in underhand activity.

Mourinho won’t speak to anyone because he thinks there is a agenda against his side which has been correctly punished for simulation and violent conduct — just like many teams in the Premier League.

Saturday was no ordinary day for the assembled media at Stamford Bridge. It was a record-breaking occasion as 26 rights holders attended the top-of-the-table clash. Poor old KazSport made their debut trek to west London from Kazakhstan to meet football’s most linguistic tactician but they — along with NowTV of Hong Kong and Sweden’s Viaset — were left with empty air time as the Portuguese punished the governing body for their actions.

Since the nine-point gap Chelsea held over City began to erode and the form of Thibaut Courtois, who was at fault for the City goal and Gary Cahill, who was once again dropped to the bench, began to dwindle, Mourinho has shed his self-assigned “Happy One” moniker and reverted to the brash and combative boss associated with his first spell in England.

The FA have tickled Mourinho’s pocket when a sledgehammer would struggle to leave a mark — and he has retaliated by snubbing companies like Sky, who pay exorbitant sums to fuss over his every word. Those companies — who were left three minutes of dour Manuel Pellegrini to capture on film in the post-match press conference — will not want to continue paying Hollywood box-office money for straight-to-DVD performances.

And Mourinho’s return to bullishness has filtered down to his footballers and manifested itself in the way they conduct themselves. When iron-willed Branislav Ivanovic suffered a nastily gashed foot in the clash with Liverpool, he ordered the physio to “glue it up”. Ramires is also back in the starting XI and while the Brazilian lacks the artistry of Cesc Fabregas, he certainly covers more ground than the former Arsenal man.

After the match, Pellegrini talked about the clash in styles; how his side always goes out to attack and create and win and Chelsea do not. But it might be this change in style off the pitch that has most impact on the destination of the Premier League crown. Off is Mourinho’s benevolent mask, gone are the gloves as this title race goes bare-knuckle. Like Ferguson did on so many occasions, Mourinho is creating a siege mentality. He has always defended them and now he is on the attack.

On Saturday, shorn of his usual suit and suede shoes, Mourinho patrolled and violated the perimeters of his technical area like a hungry boxer in training gear, hacking the ball back into play and haranguing the fourth official. If Mourinho’s efforts to get his side to outplay his rivals look to be stuttering, he may rip up the rule book and turn the fight dirty — and then he will again have the advantage he craves.