13 August 2007, by Lorna Danion

Mourinho delight at breaking record

Portuguese coach targets now targets personal milestone

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho says he was happy to see his side set a new English league record for matches unbeaten at home, and revealed that he is targeting a personal achievement in the near future.

The Blues’ 3-2 win over Birmingham on Sunday means that Mourinho’s side are now 64 league games undefeated at Stamford Bridge, breaking a record set by Liverpool from 1978-80.

“The objective was to win, not to get the record,” Mourinho told Sky Sports News after the match. “But, in this moment we have the record.

“We are very proud to beat the record. It was a good game to celebrate the home record, a game with lots of goals and enthusiasm.

“I know most of the players from the Liverpool team and to beat their record in the modern era is amazing. Chelsea has written its name in the history books of the Premier League and it’s a great record. I’m very flattered for being part of it.”

Mourinho himself is also on the verge of a similar landmark, which dates back to his days in Portuguese football with FC Porto. If Chelsea can avoid defeat against Portsmouth on 25th August, Mourinho will have gone 100 games as a manager undefeated at home in league football.

“I’m on 99 and I hope my friend Harry Redknapp doesn’t kill my record in the next game at home because I would love to reach 100,” he said.

“For me it’s something very personal, but I am at 99 and if my players can give me one more against Portsmouth then I will celebrate 100.”

Finally, when talking about the match against Birmingham, during which his team went behind early on and were later pegged back, Mourinho ended on a humorous note, while once again reaffirming his love for English football.

“I agree it was great to watch,” he said. “But maybe too many white hairs after it. I would prefer Chelsea to have scored half of the goals we could have scored. If we scored five or six, maybe I wouldn’t have new white hairs.

“I was just looking at a photo in my office from my first season here, and no white hairs. Now half of it is white. I hope I leave England with all of my hair white because it means that I stay for a long time, because I love so much this Premiership.”