Jose
Mourinho's agenda against the press is "ridiculous" and "embarrassing",
according to the Sunday Supplement panel.
Chelsea's torrid start to the campaign continued as they were beaten 3-1 by
Liverpool at Stamford Bridge - their sixth league defeat of the season - as
the pressure on Mourinho was turned up another notch.
Mourinho refused to give an answer for seven of the nine questions asked in
his post-match interview, and appeared to be unhappy with Liverpool's Lucas
avoiding a red card on 68 minutes with the score at 1-1.
This is the latest in a long line of disagreements with the authorities with
Mourinho recently fined £50,000 by the Football Association and given a
one-match suspended stadium ban after comments about officials following the
3-1 home loss to Southampton.
Although Sky sources believe that his job is not under serious threat,
Chelsea lie 15th in the Premier League after eleven games.
However, John Cross of the
Sunday Mirror thinks Mourinho's behavior
is potentially more damaging to the club than the results he's getting on
the pitch.
"I think it's been embarrassing," Cross said on the
Sunday Supplement.
"He has been so condemning of the officials. That for me is more damaging to
the football club than some of the results.
"It tarnishes the club's reputation that Roman Abramovich has been so
determined to uphold. It surprises me how Mourinho has weathered that storm
as some of paranoia comments are ridiculous and embarrassing.
"These ridiculous and embarrassing outbursts have to be reported [by the
press]. Jose is writing his own headlines and writing his own death warrant.
That's the long and short of it.
"This ridiculous campaign he has against the FA, referees and Arsene Wenger,
it's just embarrassing. The sooner he stops wasting energy on believing that
everyone is against him, he can use that energy to much more positive use."
Jason Burt, of the
Daily Telegraph, was in agreement with Cross and
believes the Chelsea hierarchy could hold similar fears.
"I think there is real concern that he can't turn this around," Burt said.
"Part of the problem at Chelsea is that people are concerned about him and
about how he's coping with this. He's lashing out left, right and centre.
The interviews yesterday were ridiculous.
"Because he has now talked so much about things going wrong, referee
decisions, conspiracy theories and the whole world being against them, he's
almost given the players an out."
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