When Jose Mourinho turned up for his work yesterday it was with the intention of mixing business with pleasure.
It seemed typical that such an endeavour would be met with success; the Portuguese marking his return as Chelsea manager with a 2-0 home win over Hull City. It was a result which also allowed him to mark his territory in the Barclays Premier League.
Hull had returned to the top flight this summer too, but the London club piddled all over their parade at Stamford Bridge. Oscar had the home side ahead after just 13 minutes but there was greater significance on Chelsea's second - Frank Lampard thumping a shot into the net from some 30 yards out just 12 minutes later. The goal subdued Hull and it seemed fitting that the midfielder should be the one to get it since Lampard had been a favourite of Mourinho during his first spell in charge.
That spell comprised consecutive league title wins - in 2005 and 2006 - and ensured that Mourinho is held in reverence around these parts. His name was chanted incessently for much of the first half, while the Chelsea manager responded by blowing kisses to the corners of the ground when he emerged form the tunnel with his team.
The coach holds a deep affection for Chelsea - he assumed the moniker "the Happy One" when he returned this summer - but he does not regard his side as perfect. Mourinho has been in pursuit of Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney this summer and seemed to confirm yesterday that his club will make a third bid for the England internationalist this week. United resisted their last offer of £30m.
Mourinho is aware that procuring Rooney will be hard work but he was not above having a little fun, stating that he would not reveal the identity of his chief target and instead conduct transfer business in an "ethical" way. "We don't do what many clubs do and go around and try to influence players to behave in a certain way," he said. "We go direct to the club in a correct manner and we are going to try to do that until the last day of the window."
The nuance within that statement was deliberate and when Mourinho said he would not name names it was only because he did not need to. He might also consider that his popularity with supporters is such that you fancy they would likely have gone and fetched Rooney had the manager bid them to.
"The reception was amazing," said Mourinho. "It gives me more responsibility I guess but at the same time they know I will give everything for this club. But when the game started I focused on the game and from then on they gave me more than I deserved. They like me a lot but from now on they have to support the players."
The Chelsea fans were given a chance to get some practise in when Allan McGregor, the Hull goalkeeper, careered into the back of Fernando Torres within the first five minutes to concede a penalty. Lampard resumed his familiar duties by taking the spot-kick, but McGregor made amends by turning his shot out for a corner.
The Scotland No.1 was assailed by efforts from Oscar, Eden Hazard and Kevin De Bruyne, playing just behind lone striker Torres, as a result and would only get a hand to Lampard's shot midway through the second half to wave it into the net. "I've played here so many times and won so many matches but I've never had such a period of fantastic play like we had in that first half," said Mourinho.
"In the second half I wanted more. But after five or 10 minutes we didn't because we couldn't. You can't play that way for 90 minutes."
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