Jose Mourinho says he is returning to Chelsea with the passion of a supporter after being appointed manager of the Premier League heavyweights for the second time.
The 50-year-old Portuguese, who led the club to unprecedented success between 2004 and 2007, succeeds interim coach Rafael Benitez and has signed a four-year contract.
His Stamford Bridge comeback was one of the worst-kept secrets in European football, with weeks of media speculation culminating in his admission on Spanish television late on Sunday (local time) that he had agreed to move back to west London.
In an interview with Chelsea TV, the club’s in-house television channel, Mourinho said his time at the club had left a deep impression that had endured throughout his subsequent tenures at Inter Milan and Real Madrid.
“It is exactly the same message, but now I can say I am one of you (supporters) and that makes a little bit of a difference,” he said.
“I never hide that in my career in football I had two great passions, Inter and Chelsea, and Chelsea is more than important for me.
“It was very hard to play against Chelsea. I did it twice, which was not so bad. Now I promise exactly the same things I promised in 2004, but with the difference we have (now), which is I am one of you.”
He added, “It was an easy decision. I met the boss, I met the owner (Roman Abramovich), and in five minutes, after a couple of very short but pragmatic questions, we decided straight away.”
Announcing the news of Mourinho’s reappointment, Chelsea chief executive Ron Gourlay hailed his “success, drive and ambition” and said he was the “outstanding candidate”.
With Chelsea, he won back-to-back Premier League titles in 2005 and 2006, as well as two League Cups and the 2007 FA Cup, before leaving after his relationship with Abramovich broke down.