tribalfooball.com - January 30, 2007
Blues star Frank Lampard can't imagine Chelsea without Jose Mourinho.
The England midfielder, who has been linked with a move to Inter Milan, said: "Jose is a great manager, and I love to play under him for so many reasons.
"He has given me lots of confidence and been great for the team. For me, he is a joy to work under and I have a great relationship with him personally.
"It's hard to imagine life without him. This is his third season now, but the minute he came in he created a spirit and an atmosphere which is what we needed.
"We didn't have a winning mentality particularly at the club before that, and he brought that to us. That is why we have been successful for the last couple of years."
Lampard has maintained his impressive form during Chelsea's rocky patch without their captain John Terry, and he is adamant that all the speculation over Mourinho's future has not affected team spirit.
"There's been so much talk coming from outside, but inside it has been fine as usual at our place," Lampard reported.
"I find it quite enjoyable sometimes when people outside talk a lot about us, and you realise that a lot of the things being said are wrong. It makes you kind of stronger as a group. We haven't been playing at our best but we have been getting there in the last few matches; we need to take that on in the league.
"We are not stupid; we don't have our eyes shut and we see things that get said.
"But that's part of being at a top club. If you want to be successful and want to be at a top club you are going to have people talking about you - but you cannot take your eye of the ball."