Jose Mourinho writes a weekly column entitled 'Hotel Chelsea' for the Portuguese sports daily 'Record'.

In this section read a translated summary of Mourinho's fascinating insights.

19 September 2005

Boa Morte: Portugal's loss the Premiership's gain

Luís Boa Morte has signed a new five-year contract for Fulham. He has adapted perfectly to London and the Premiership and everything points towards him not returning to Portuguese football.

Portugal only knows him from sporadic appearances for the national team and televised matches from the English league, but it’s a pity Portugal doesn’t know the true Boa Morte.

Superb consistency, high performance level, defensively and tactically strong, creative and objective when attacking, he assists his team mates and scores goals; he is a leader. He wears the captain’s armband, had half of England trying to buy him, but decided to renew his contract at Fulham. It’s a good club, a good team, and Fulham has a fantastic atmosphere to play football, and is a wonderful place to live. The lad deserves it.

Co Adriaanse

Co Adriaanse is in a similar position to mine in the Premiership. When I’m not happy with the result or the team’s performance, I look to my side and I see talent, and above all, different qualities to what’s on the pitch. I can change things around and create new problems for the opposition.

I have Joe Cole, Duff, Robben, Wright-Phillips, Drogba, Crespo, Carlton Cole… At Porto Adriaanse, who I enjoyed meeting, finding him pleasant and communicable, began with Sokota, Lisandro and Jorginho, but had besides him Quaresma, Hugo Almeida and Alan, and watching in the stands McCarthy and Postiga. He knows how to mix things up and it’s difficult for the opposition to hold out.

Benfica to improve

Benfica have had a terrible start. But I look at the quality of Miccoli and Karagounis (pictured) and I believe in a significant improvement. Miccoli has shown that he can form a profitable understanding with Nuno Gomes, based on mobility and quality of execution; Karagounis knows how to play, he has character, is a leader and coordinator.

Eight points in Portugal is a big deficit, but Benfica will improve offensively and score goals.

Champions League

We started our Champions League campaign with an important 3 points. It was a tricky game, where I thought that after we scored Anderlecht’s defensive strategy would come apart, but they never abdicated five defenders and three defensive midfielders.

The minutes passed and their most creative player, Zetterberg, stayed on the bench, and Jestrovic, their striker, went through the motions of some light warm-up exercises. Why should I give them the chance to play behind my defensive line? Wilhelmson and Mpenza were waiting for a chance to do just that.

Five minutes from time Jestrovic came on and Zewlakow, one of five giant defenders went off. I put on Huth and closed the door. Conclusion: 1-0. It was exhausting. I ended up saying to myself: if I had been greedy, I’d have gone home with 1 point!