Former Chelsea boss Peter Kenyon has revealed how Jose Mourinho’s time in west London in 2007 ‘unraveled’.
The relationship between Mourinho and the Blues had broken down early in the 2007–08 season, with the Portuguese boss leaving Stamford Bridge for the first time after a 1–1 draw with Rosenborg in the Champions League and the manager clearing Stamford Bridge. For the first time.
Kenya revealsd how things started to unravel at the club for Mourinho after the arrival of Andriy Shevchenko and Avram Grant.
Speaking Paramount+ documentary Fever Pitch, Kenyon said: ‘The feeling in the club was that it was unraveling a little bit. It was unraveling because Jose was unraveling a little bit.”
Peter Kenyon has revealed how Jose Mourinho told him at a film premiere in 2007 that he wanted to step out of his role as Chelsea manager
As Kenyon revealed how things began to unravel at the club for Mourinho following the arrival of Andriy Shevchenko and Avram Grant
Mourinho grew frustrated with Grant as he felt the director was watching him during matches as he was allowed to sit on the bench next to the Chelsea manager.
Mourinho grew frustrated with Grant as he felt the director was watching him. He also felt that Grant’s presence on the bench during games was unnecessary.
Discussing Grant, Kenyon said, “I think people saw that [Grant sitting in the dugout] as undermining the manager, but it never was. It didn’t take the coach’s strength away. But I don’t think Jose thought it was necessary.’
Meanwhile, Grant said, “I could see things getting really nervous and Jose getting really nervous. I think for the first time in his life things didn’t go the way he wanted.’
However, Grant’s arrival was not the only reason for Mourinho’s downfall at the Premier League giants. Many believed that Shevchenko’s arrival played a role in his departure.
Shevchenko endured a difficult time at Stamford Bridge and struggled to impress Mourinho after joining from AC Milan for £30.8 million in 2006.
The Portuguese manager later admitted that Shevchenko was not his first choice and that he had asked the club to sign ‘another player’.
Frank Lampard has said Shevchenko’s arrival at Chelsea in 2006 caused friction between Roman Abramovich and Mourinho
Frank Lampard said Shevchenko’s arrival created tension between the manager and owner, with many people wondering whose signing he was.
Lampard said: ‘It’s the first time I remember feeling there was tension between the owner and the manager. There was a lot of talk about whose signature it is.’
Lampard went on to talk about how Shevchenko struggled to settle down at Chelsea. He said: ‘There were a few injuries within the team and you felt the displeasure with the poor results for Jose. Andre needed time to settle down and he didn’t settle down completely, the noises got louder.’
Meanwhile, Peter Kenyon said, “There was a story that Shevchenko wasn’t the player Jose wanted. This is nonsense.’
Mourinho and Abramovich were eager to sign a new striker in 2006 to play alongside their star player Didier Drogba. They also pushed for the Champions League title after winning two Premier League titles in a row.
Mourinho has compiled a list of potential targets for the summer transfer window. However, Abramovich decided to take control and sign an alternate option.
Abramovich felt Shevchenko was the right choice for the club as he was regarded as one of the best strikers in the world at the time. He had scored 173 goals for AC Milan and won the Ballon d’Or in 2004.
Shevchenko endured a rough time at Stamford Bridge and struggled to impress Mourinho after joining Milan for £30.8 million in 2006.
However, Shevchenko struggled in the Premier League. He found himself regularly expropriated – much to Mourinho’s frustration. Therefore, the Portuguese manager began to leave him out of his match squad.
Mourinho later admitted: ‘At Chelsea he was not my first choice. I had asked for another player and I know that at the time the club did everything it could to give me the players I wanted, or at least one of them, but that was not possible for various reasons.
“And when I was offered Shevchenko, I said yes, because he is undoubtedly a quality player. He was like a prince in Milan and at Chelsea our philosophy was different, we had no princes.’
Speaking of Paramount+’s new docu-series, Mourinho said: “What the team needed is not what I have. If a coach is not happy, not at ease, then the job is more difficult.’
Nevertheless, Shevchenko scored 14 goals and provided 12 assists in the 2006–07 season. He also found the back of the net in Chelsea’s Champions League matches against Porto and Valencia.
Mourinho eventually left Chelsea in 2007, saying he decided to part ways with the Premier League giants after “losing” his “luck” at the club.
Mourinho said of the douc series: ‘I lost my luck and other people got more and more influence. I felt it.’
Many wondered if it was Mourinho who wanted to sign Shevchenko or Abramovich
Mourinho has compiled a list of potential targets for the summer transfer window. However, Abramovich decided to go against the Portuguese manager and sign Shevchenko
While Kenyon remembered how Mourinho pulled him aside and asked for a way out. The 66-year-old said: ‘We went to the screening of the Chelsea movie.
“We were all at the gym beforehand and Jose called me over and basically said, Pete get me out of here. That was Jose saying I had enough. He had definitely decided it was the end of the road for him.”
Kenyon went on to explain how the players reacted. He said, “We brought in all the players that morning. They all sauntered in thinking it was another training session, but I got up and told them Jose was gone. I looked around and there was complete shock. I mean, Cech had his head in his hands.”
Frank Lampard said he found Mourinho’s departure particularly difficult. He said, “I thought it was a very hard time and very hard to take. We had won Premier League titles and we had won the FA Cup before. We were in a tough spot early in the season and I was more than surprised that Jose lost his job. ‘
The Premier League coming-of-age story will be available exclusively on Paramount+ from May 7.