SOCCER:Jose Mourinho and the Chelsea board yesterday gave a first public show of unity, indicating the rift of recent days is close to being healed, but the manager warned he would not tolerate major interference in his role.

The Premiership champions' chief executive, Peter Kenyon, began by openly pledging the owner Roman Abramovich's backing for Mourinho's management, a statement that seemed to hearten the Portuguese. That support may not be translated into funds for the last two weeks of the transfer window but Mourinho seemed unconcerned. He made it clear, however, the peace would not hold if there were interference in his handling of football matters at Stamford Bridge.

"If the club supports me and I feel that support, I don't feel any reasons not to be here," he said. "That support is not about the money. (Just) because I don't have a new defender and I need one, (just) because I don't have a new attacking player and I need one, doesn't mean the club doesn't support me. Support is not about money. Support is not about new players."

The area where Mourinho clearly felt most pressured was in the composition of his coaching staff and he was categorical that this must be his domain. Abramovich had suggested the recruitment of Avraham Grant from Portsmouth so that the former Israel coach could work on a one-to-one basis with the £30 million striker Andriy Shevchenko, whose contribution this season has been unimpressive.

It is thought such an appointment would have led to the removal of Mourinho's Scottish assistant manager, Steve Clarke.

"The coaching staff is my responsibility," he said. "I choose my assistants. If I am not happy with my assistants I tell the club to sack them or to change them. But my coaching staff is my responsibility. That's a fact. It's not a quote, it's a fact."

Real Madrid and several Italian clubs are thought to be interested in enlisting Mourinho but, with two young children - Matilde and Jose junior - he would prefer to remain at Chelsea rather than to seek a new position abroad. But that does not mean he will compromise himself professionally.

Kenyon's comments therefore came as an encouragement. "Categorically the owner and the board support Jose as Chelsea manager," said the chief executive. "That is the position of the owner and the board and that is not going to change. I am confident (Jose) will stay."

Kenyon insisted there were no sinister motives for failing to invest in the transfer market this month, notably the failure to reach agreement with Bolton over Israel centre back Tal Ben Haim. Kenyon considered the £3 million demanded by the Lancashire club excessive for a player with six months left to run on his contract.

"We will only try and get the players we are interested in," said Kenyon. "It is not about just filling space. If that player is available, will that player feature next season, which is important, not just bringing someone in for two months. It is notoriously difficult finding that type of player who will make that impact on Chelsea."

Mourinho endorses that sentiment, believing that some money is better spent on charitable causes. He and Kenyon, along with Chelsea's first-team squad, were attending a function at the Houses of Parliament to promote the launch of the club's six-year partnership with the humanitarian organisation Right to Play.

The partnership is one element of Chelsea's £4.34 million investment in community and social initiatives, 2.8 per cent of the club's annual turnover. "This £4 million is better than a player because players sometimes you buy and the contribution from the player is not so big and so good for the club," said Mourinho.

Shevchenko, meanwhile, has vowed to blank the English media after becoming the "scapegoat" for Chelsea's current crisis.

In a lengthy statement on his official website yesterday, the forward reiterated his desire to remain at Chelsea and fight for his place in Mourinho's side.

Shevchenko declared: "There have been a lot of quotes coming out from me that I don't even know where they've come from. They have caused a lot of hurt to me and my family. From now on other than sanctioned club press conferences all my comments will appear here on my official website."

Guardian Service