Mourinho manipulates politics of the madhouse at Bridge of high

Yes, I know. Manchester United were irresistible, utterly awesome in their eclipse of Roma. And in the somewhat unfortunately worded, if portentous, opinion of Carlo Ancelotti, coach of their forthcoming semi-final opponents, Milan, "murderous" on the counter- attack. Yet the attention of these eyes refused to wander from what, if anything, was just as great an achievement.

The manner in which Jose Mourinho leapt with boyish enthusiasm so joyously to interrupt John Terry's television interview minutes after such a rich European night in Valencia said everything about the triumph in the Mestalla stadium. The Chelsea captain had been relating what a "kick up the backside" he and his team received from Mourinho at half-time when the manager himself leapt into frame yelling like a crazy man. His delirious pleasure was there for all to see. And maybe there was a none-too-subtle message for Roman Abramovich, too.

Mourinho's intervention served to reinforce the esprit de corps within Chelsea, which was so crucial to this victory. How curious, though, that the growth of that spirit and the success it has accompanied are in inverse proportion to the apparently diminishing days of his reign.

Another four days; another two steps of progress towards an impossible dream, by reducing the deficit in the pursuit of Manchester United and eliminating Valencia from the Champions' League. Tuesday night was by no means one of perfection. Mourinho's team's graph displayed an undulating red line of infuriating uncertainty in a first half, but a steadily rising solid blue after the interval. It was superiority rightly reflected in Andriy Shevchenko's negation of Fernando Morientes' opener and Michael Essien's last-minute winner.

Though the quadruple remains an unlikely target, it is not entirely implausible. But what then? Will Abramovich still cast him out? Will the Russian scrutinise this season's record - particularly given the injuries - which currently reads Won 38, Drawn 9, Lost 4, and dismiss it? Will he delude himself that the Portuguese is not, arguably, the most astute manager around, both in terms of his tactical prowess - witness Tuesday night's alteration from 4-4-2 to 4-3-3 and associated changes in personnel - and his motivational powers?

Will he be persuaded by his acolytes that all the above is an irrelevance and turn that glassy stare of his against Mourinho and towards the likes of Guus Hiddink, Marcello Lippi, or Didier Deschamps?

Even if that is the denouement, why should Mourinho be unduly troubled? It would be pick-any-job time, wouldn't it? Britain's best- selling red-top has already launched a "Mourinho for England" campaign. His response was dismissive: "You [England] have a manager. I have a job. So, no chance." Yet he is aware that both positions could soon be vacant. Meanwhile those perennial jackdaws, Real Madrid, are alert; their enthusiasm would be all the greater, if Terry and/or Frank Lampard were to be somehow discovered in his baggage.

Except Mourinho prefers to stay at Stamford Bridge. Or so he maintains. Departure at whatever stage, he concedes "would be painful". It's not that Mourinho needs to be loved. He would just like some form of commitment from Abramovich. "I've said 20 times at least that I want to be here," he declared on Friday at the club's Chobham training base. "I can't do more than that. I've said to everybody that I want to stay around to honour my contract [which expires in 2010]. I have told Peter Kenyon that I want to stay. Peter said 'fantastic'. I have also told my agent Jorge Mendes that he is forbidden to speak to any other clubs."

However, Mourinho also added pointedly: "I would like others to speak. People above me could speak more, and it could be better." Who could he possibly mean?

Pride and ego may be primary influences here, on both sides, as the manager continues to spar mischievously with a publicly mute Abramovich, who reportedly refused to sanction reinforcements in the January window. Mourinho is also reportedly unhappy about planned changes to his coaching staff. It has been rumoured that Abramovich would prefer to see Ports-mouth's Israeli coach Avram Grant replace the current No 2, Steve Clarke.

The result of this rancour has been what Mourinho complains is a lack of the "tranquility" he observes at the other members of the Big Four. Really? The suspicion is that despite it all he actually relishes life on the edge, a position made a darn site more comfortable when you are a multi-millionaire, whatever Abramovich decides.

On that subject, we are making so many assumptions. The perennial problem with Chelsea in recent years is an absence of transparency. Too much rumour and innuendo, and the dubious word "sources" are woven into the tapestry of Chelsea's business. No one is quite certain what we are dealing with in Abramovich, this footballing arriviste who was fired initially by exposure to European football in general, and Real's Ronaldo playing at Old Trafford in particular.