Mourinho backs Chelsea staff in Frisk furore

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho today revealed his determination to stand by his staff over the Anders Frisk row, vowing: “I don’t run away from a fight”.

Mourinho, his assistant Steve Clarke and security official Les Miles have been charged with bringing the game into disrepute by UEFA.

The trio are accused of allegedly making “false, wrong and unfounded” claims that Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard spoke with Frisk in the referee’s dressing room at half-time during Chelsea’s Champions League clash with Barcelona at the Nou Camp last month.

The charges will be heard by UEFA’s control and disciplinary body in Nyon on Thursday and Mourinho, attending an event in Tel Aviv to promote peace in the Middle East, was in defiant mood.

“I don’t run away from problems and I don’t change, especially when I believe in what I am doing,” he said in a press conference broadcast by Sky Sports News.

“I am a man of beliefs. If I believe I have the truth in my hands I don’t run away from a fight. I don’t have to change my personality or my principles.

Earlier, in a lecture on football management, Mourinho stressed how he could not function in his job without trusting his staff.

UEFA director of communications William Gaillard, speaking last week of the alleged meeting between Rijkaard and Frisk, said: “I can categorically state that this did no happen. In one statement by Chelsea we have two officials – not including Mourinho – saying they have seen it which we know is not possible. From where they were, they could not have seen it.”

But Mourinho challenged that version of events today and backed his staff to the hilt.

He said: “I am the manager and I have people who assist me. If something happened in the football stadium and I don’t see it, and, if some of my people arrive and say to me ‘I saw this, this happened’. And, if another one comes and says ‘I saw the same’ then I say it is true because I can’t work without loyalty and I have to believe my people.”

“Of course I am not a perfect man, no chance. Of course I have a lot of bad qualities but the people who work with me know I am loyal to my people.

“Because I am loyal to my people I am involved in something I don’t want to be involved in (Thursday’s UEFA disciplinary charges) but I won’t run away from it so you don’t have to ask me any more questions about UEFA problems.”

Gaillard, speaking about the Frisk row to the Press Association last week, said: “They (Chelsea) were basically using lies as a pre-match tactic. They were trying to qualify for the next round by putting pressure on referees and officials through false statements. They were ready to use disloyal methods and, frankly, this is totally and completely unacceptable.”

Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon responded to Gaillard’s outburst when he said he had “grave concerns” about whether the club could get a fair hearing this Thursday because the club’s defence had been “dismissed before it has even been considered” and their witnesses had been “branded as liars without any opportunity to be heard or defend themselves”.

Frisk chose to retire after his family’s safety was called into question by the anonymous threats.

UEFA stopped short of suggesting Mourinho caused Frisk to resign but Gaillard did say: “Some statements from managers and players are misconstrued by the public at large.”

Chelsea have also been charged by UEFA with failing to attend a news conference following the match in the Nou Camp and for arriving late on the pitch for the second half.

All the charges against the club and its officials will be heard on Thursday.