GOBE:Jose Mourinho has two games to save Chelsea job after Liverpool defeat

Jose Mourinho has two games to save his Chelsea
job, club sources have told ESPN FC, with Carlo
Ancelotti interested in taking over even on a
temporary basis.
Chelsea's dismal form has seen them suffer six
defeats in 11 league games this season.
Although club owner Roman Abramovich has
wanted to give Mourinho time, sources said his
vote of confidence after the home defeat to
Southampton in early October would only extend
until the November international break.
If Chelsea struggle against Dynamo Kiev in the
Champions League at Stamford Bridge on
Wednesday and face a group stage exit, the trip
to Stoke next Saturday could be decisive for
Mourinho.
Abramovich wants to look at the two games,
together with Saturday's 3-1 home defeat to
Liverpool, before coming to any decision.
With no immediate sign of the situation being
turned around, sources said the majority of the
players were now questioning Mourinho.
The view within the club is that if Mourinho is
sacked, the international break would give a
replacement time and would be the optimum
moment for a change.
Although Chelsea have not directly approached
Ancelotti, contact has been made with
intermediaries.
The Italian has told his representatives he is
interested, even if that only means taking the job
until the end of the season.
Ancelotti -- who was at Chelsea between 2009
and 2011, winning the Double -- has privately
described the club as the most difficult he has
managed but would be willing to come back.
Meanwhile, Mourinho admitted the importance of
the Champions League clash with Kiev as he
previewed the game on Chelsea TV.
"It's a big game. It's a game that we cannot lose,"
he said. "We still can finish first, second or third,
and obviously we want to finish in the top two."
The Chelsea boss said he could not fault the
efforts of his players in the defeat by Liverpool.
"There are things that are out of our hands. The
players tried. You could feel, and not just because
we scored in the first couple of minutes, the
attitude, desire," he said. "It was 50-50 despite
the fact we were winning 1-0.
"There were two minutes of added time [in the
first half] and we conceded the goal after two
minutes and 35 seconds.
"What happened in the second half was a
consequence of crucial moments, moments that
the stadium saw, and more than just see it, the
players felt it.
"From then, what happened was just a
consequence."
Mourinho said he was delighted that the Chelsea
fans had sung his name in a show of support.
"I take comfort, but what feeds me is not just the
support of the fans but also the recognition of our
work -- and that is by getting results," he added.
"I have some players really sad in the dressing
room, and I'm full of respect for them."


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