Daniel Craig might be the current incumbent, but next time the hunt is on for a new James Bond Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho could just be in the frame. Details have emerged today of the Special One’s daring escape from Stamford Bridge as he defied a Uefa touchline ban. Mourinho is alleged to have escaped from the dressing room in a laundry basket after giving an illicit half-time team-talk.
The incident relates to the 2005 Champions League quarter-final against Bayern Munich. Mourinho was banned from the touchline in both legs after his outbursts against Barcelona manager Frank Rijkaard and referee Anders Frisk. Rumours of foul-play followed immediately when fitness coach Rui Faria was seen fumbling with an earpiece-shaped lump under his bobble hat.
It is now claimed that Mourinho had been stowed in the dressing room since before the match to communicate with his staff via mobile phone and give a team-talk. Aware that Faria was under scutiny, Chelsea ditched the earpiece at half-time and goalkeeping coach Silvinho Louro traipsed to the dressing room for instructions instead during the second-half. Mourinho then escaped undetected by Uefa officials in a laundry basket. He was wheeled to a leisure club in the Chelsea village.
[Rob Parker]