Chelsea boss Mourinho calls FA fine a “disgrace”

LONDON (Reuters) – Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has described his English FA fine as a “disgrace” and branded his suspended one-match stadium ban “astonishing” after his comments about referees.

Mourinho was fined 50,000 pounds ($77,425) and threatened with a future stadium ban on Wednesday for saying referees were afraid to award penalties to the Premier League champions after Chelsea’s 3-1 home defeat by Southampton on Oct. 3.

“…I’m happy I don’t have an electronic tag. I also think that 50,000 pounds ($77,340.00) in the world where we live today is an absolute disgrace…,” he said on Thursday.

“I also think that the possibility of getting a stadium ban is also something absolutely astonishing.”

The FA said the stadium ban would be invoked should Mourinho commit a similar offence in the next 12 months.

Mourinho attacked the governing body at a launch event for his new book where he said it was unlikely he would finish his career at Chelsea due to the demands of the modern game.

Asked how long he would be a coach, Mourinho, 52, said: “It’s difficult to say but… I would risk 15 more, I’m in the middle, I did 15 and I have 15 more to do, finish with 67… Maybe later, if I can, but I would say normally 15 more years.

“Can I stay 15 more years at Chelsea football club? I don’t think so, I don’t think modern football allows it anymore, so normally I will not finish my career at Chelsea, I would like to, but I don’t think it’s possible.”

Mourinho also continued his long-running verbal battle with Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger.

The Chelsea boss appeared to criticise the FA’s decision not to punish Wenger for calling referee Mike Dean “weak” and “naive” following Arsenal’s 2-0 defeat by Chelsea last month.

Wenger also escaped without punishment when he pushed Mourinho in the technical area in October 2014.

“Afraid costs 50,000 pounds. Weak and naive — you can do it,” Mourinho added. “We can push people in the technical area. We can, no problem.”

Chelsea, whose poor start to the season has left them languishing in 16th place after eight games, 10 points adrift of leaders Manchester City, host Aston Villa on Saturday.

(By Toby Davis, Additional reporting by Mussab Al-Khairalla; editing by Ken Ferris)