Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has launched a verbal attack on Arsenal counterpart Arsene Wenger, claiming the Frenchman should concentrate on his own team’s shortcomings.
Mourinho has become increasingly annoyed at comments made by Wenger about Chelsea.
“I think he is one of these people who is a voyeur,” said the Portuguese coach. “He likes to watch other people.
Wenger was incorectly reported to have said that Chelsea would have lost “the big belief” after the recent setbacks, but he actually said “a little bit of the belief has gone”.
“There are some guys who, when they are at home, have a big telescope to see what happens in other families. He speaks, speaks, speaks about Chelsea.”
Mourinho was irritated by Wenger’s remarks about Chelsea’s 1-1 draw at Everton last Sunday and their Carling Cup defeat to Charlton in midweek.
“It bothers me because the guy is speaking all the time. We never speak about them,” Mourinho added.
“You can do it when you are top and you have a big morale.
“When you are on game number 11 and you still can’t win away from home, and when you are without Thierry Henry and he can’t win a game, he should be worried about them.
“He’s worried about us, he’s always talking about us. It’s Chelsea, Chelsea, Chelsea, Chelsea.
“I might be worried if my team made a defensive mistake. I shouldn’t be worried about what Arsenal did at Tottenham. They are always speaking about the other families.
“I don’t know if he wants my job, I don’t know. He loves Chelsea.”
Mourinho also toook the opportunity to pay tribute to Frank Lampard, who he regards as the best player in the world at the moment.
“I don’t see how he can improve because for me he is the best player in the world at the moment,” Mourinho said of the England international.
“I would not change him for another player because he does everything. This player is top in every game.
“His defence is incredible, he can pass over a long distance, he can pass over short distances, he’s professional, he can score goals, how can he improve?”
Meanwhile, Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon has confirmed that Arsenal are the first club Chelsea need to eclipse if they are to become a global brand.
“The importance of London is critical in our strategy. London today is one of the top three cities in the world. The first objective is to own London,” he told The Independent.
“When we talk about internationalising the brand, the first thing we want to do is get critical mass within our own territory, then start to build internationally.”
“Perhaps at the moment we are seen as a bit of a rebel and that’s not an objective, we don’t want to be seen as that,” he added.
“There are several reasons for it; the Ashley Cole issue, the fact that we have had so much success so quickly and displaced some of the traditional clubs up there, the impact of Jose Mourinho and the fact that the owner is extremely wealthy.
“What I can assure you of is that we want to work within the system.
“We are far from rebels and want to do everything we can to make the industry strong because that’s fundamental to any English club being strong.”
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