Mourinho wants quick return

Ferguson pays tribute

Former players escape charge

Jose Mourinho’s departure from Chelsea continues to command exhaustive media coverage with reports suggesting that the departure of the ‘special one’ could signal a mass exodus of players from Stamford Bridge. Other reports suggest that Mourinho wants to make a quick return to football management after he was quoted as saying: “I am waiting for the phone calls. I want to enjoy my life but I want to work.” However, Mourinho later quashed rumours that he might return to the Premier League by stating: “I will come back and manage here, but I don’t want it as my next step - it must be another country, another experience, another football.”

Even Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has said that Jose Mourinho’s departure from Chelsea is a “disappointment” for the game of football. Ferguson said he would miss the “personal challenge” he used to enjoy between himself and Mourinho.

“He was terrific for football and terrific for Chelsea. He brought something fresh and new to our game and I enjoyed the competition with him - I wish him well.”

Meanwhile, Avram Grant held his first press conference as Chelsea boss this afternoon and insisted that he will be in full control of team matters with no interference from owner Roman Abramovich. Grant said:

“I’m a person of my own. I’ve taken all my decisions in football on my own. If we lose, it’s down to me. I have full respect for what Jose Mourinho did in the past and I want to follow this success and make things of my own. But football is also entertainment. We need to win games and win trophies but we need to play positive football.”

Blackburn Rovers captain Ryan Nelsen has been ruled out for up to a month with a hamstring injury he sustained during the 2-0 Uefa Cup defeat at Greek side Larissa.

Cardiff City chairman Peter Ridsdale has offered to quit the club because he is fed up with abuse from supporters. Speaking to BBC Wales, the former Leeds United chairman said he is being driven out by fans who he says want former chairman and owner Sam Hammam back in charge of the club.

“Right now, I feel like walking away. The future for the football club would be bleak, maybe even liquidation. Do I want to do that? No, I really am passionate about what’s happening. Am I being driven away? Yes. I believe I am. I am getting more stick for saving Cardiff City than I did when things went wrong at Leeds. If the fans want Sam Hammam back in charge, as many of them are telling me, then maybe they should have him. People ring me saying when Sam Hammam left we were top of the Championship, but Sam Hammam could not even sign cheques for two years. It was me who brought in Michael Chopra, Stephen McPhail and more. The progress since those days has been unbelievable. Criticise me by all means, but don’t keep telling me you want Sam Hammam back. I have put half a million pounds of my own money into this football club. I have done that because I believe in what is happening here. How much of his own money did Sam Hammam put in?”

Ridsdale offered his resignation at a board meeting but was unanimously turned down by the club’s directors.

Two former England footballers will not be charged after they admitted driving off in a luxury private cab on a night out, police have said. Rob Lee, 38, and Warren Barton, 41, were arrested in July after the Mercedes E220 saloon was taken from Hackney Road, east London. The former Newcastle United stars admitted they drove off in the car when the owner stepped out of the vehicle. They then allegedly crashed it into a van and fled the scene. Officers said the owner of the car did not want to press any charges.

Nathan Davies