Jose Mourinho claims it would be a mistake for Chelsea to sack in him the wake of their 3-1 defeat to Southampton at Stamford Bridge.
The league champions have endured a miserable run in the Barclays Premier League this season, and slipped to 16th in the table after a humiliating evening against Ronald Koeman’s side.
With the pressure ramping up on Mourinho, whose previous spell with the club ended in acrimony eight years ago, the Portuguese manager refused to walk away from the job.
Speaking to Sky Sports, he said: “I want to make it clear, I don’t run away at all.
“If the club want to sack me, they have to sack me because I’m not running away from my responsibility and my team.
“I’m more convinced that we will finish top four and that is okay.
“I think this is a crucial moment in the history of this club because if the club sacks me, they sack the best manager this club had and the message is bad results and the manager is guilty.”
“This is a moment for people to assume their responsibilities. I assume my responsibility and the players should assume theirs too.
“There are other people at the club who should assume their responsibilities and stick together.”
He continued: “I consider myself to have a big self-esteem and a big ego, and I consider myself the best, leaving the worst period of my career and worst results of my career.
“Doing that as a professional hurts me a lot, doing that at Chelsea hurts me twice because it hurts me as a professional and because I like this club very, very much so I want to carry on, no doubt.
Complaints
After the game, Jose Mourinho suggested his side should have had a penalty when Radamel Falcao went to ground inside the area when the sides were level.
The Chelsea boss suggested the referees were to blame for a slow start to the season which has sparked a confidence crisis within the club.
Speaking to Sky Sports after the game, Mourinho said: “When you are so down it is time to be honest and to say clearly the referees are afraid to give decisions to Chelsea.
“The result (score) 1-1 is a huge penalty and once more we don’t get and I repeat, if the FA wants to punish me they punish me, it is not a problem for me.”
He went on: “We have a penalty, and the penalty is a giant penalty and he was afraid to give — like everyone is afraid to give — a penalty.
“And after that the team lost even more confidence.
“Psychologically the team is unbelievably down, it looks like good players are bad players.
“The first half was again where we didn’t show our quality but we were more than in control and one mistake, lack of concentration and one goal and and you are in a tough time.
“In normal circumstances you come into the second half you do your game, no panic.
“This team need to finish the first half winning two or three nil, with the fear disappearing into the second half to play with a free spirit.
“That’s what the team needs but it is not happening.”
“The second goal is an individual mistake, the third goal is an individual mistake and the team mentally tried, but they collapsed because they are in such a low moment,” he added.
