Mourinho on clampdown of abuse of match officials: 'I had fantastic behaviour on the touchline'
Jose Mourinho has welcomed the English Football Association’s crackdown on abuse of match officials, despite his at times fractious relationship with football’s authorities.
A new code of conduct will see touchline staff who abuse officials first given a verbal warning before being sent to the stand in the event of a repeat offence.
The Chelsea manager says he behaved well last term, before pointedly referring to the moment he was pushed in the chest by Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger at Stamford Bridge last October.
“I am very happy because last season I had fantastic behaviour on the touchline. I was never sent to the stands, I was never punished for my behaviour,” Mourinho told talkSPORT.
“I always had good relations with the fourth official I had a new experience in my career, which is always welcome, because I was pushed in the technical area by another manager and it was a good experience for me to keep my emotional control.”
That was the moment Mourinho and Wenger’s long-running feud turned physical and the pair did not shake hands after last Sunday’s Community Shield, when the Frenchman claimed a first win over the Portuguese at the 14th attempt.
Mourinho insists he would shake Wenger’s hand in future.
He said: “As a manager in a football stadium, I never refuse a handshake with a rival. By respect of my club and by respect of football I would never refuse a handshake with a football manager in a football stadium.”
Mourinho says he is thinking of getting the best out of his existing players, rather than adding to his Chelsea squad.
The Premier League champions have five first-team defenders and Mourinho has spoken of his wish to add to his options, but Everton have rebuffed offers for John Stones.
Mourinho knows deals could yet be done but the transfer window, which closes at 6pm BST on September 1, is not his focus.
“The transfer window is over, you know what I mean?” Mourinho added.
“I don’t like the transfer window when the (Premier League) competition starts after tomorrow, I don’t like transfer window during the competition.
“I know the transfer window is open. I know that my club is able to buy or to sell – every club can buy or can sell in this moment – but I don’t like that feeling.
“As a football coach, thinking about my players, my squad and my coaching role, I don’t want to think about the transfer window.
“I’m not going to lose one minute of my time to think about transfer window, I have to think about how to get the best out of my players, and that’s what I am doing now.”
Chelsea have so far signed goalkeeper Asmir Begovic – as a replacement for Petr Cech, who switched to Arsenal – and striker Radamel Falcao, on loan from Monaco.
