SAM ALLARDYCE may have been stating the obvious when he expressed hope that Chelsea do not secure the Barclays Premiership crown at the Reebok Stadium this evening, but the Bolton Wanderers manager insisted that he will be happy to share a glass of champagne with José Mourinho should that happen. He believes, too, that it is time that Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsè ne Wenger started to pay the Portuguese manager the respect he deserves.

Ferguson and Wenger have been critical of Chelsea’s style of play this season, but Allardyce yesterday dismissed claims that Mourinho’s defensive approach has made his team boring to watch. He said that the managers of Manchester United and Arsenal are merely “jealous” that there has been a power shift at the top of English football.

Given the criticism Bolton have received this season, it may not have been surprising to hear Allardyce offering his Chelsea counterpart such support, but it at least provided a reminder — if any was needed — of what a remarkable job Mourinho has done in West London in the space of 11 months.

“If Arsène Wenger or Sir Alex Ferguson are condemning Chelsea’s approach, it is only because they are jealous that they are not at the top,” Allardyce said. “That will be the only reason they are saying things like that. Mourinho has done what he has needed to do to become a champion in his first season.

“From a coach’s point of view, he has built his success on clean sheets and I don’t dispute that that is the best way to win something. Chelsea have had more clean sheets and 1-0 wins than anybody and they’ve only gone behind four times in the league. That is why they win football matches.”

Allardyce is also adamant that Chelsea’s success is not simply a result of Roman Abramovich’s vast wealth, even suggesting that the money Mourinho has spent has made only a “small percentage” of difference. “You can talk about Chelsea’s money, but their success is down to Mourinho as much as it is to money,” Allardyce, who knows that victory will keep his team in touch for Champions League qualification, said.

“He has come over and instilled what is typically known as the English mentality into his squad. The camaraderie and team spirit is one of the things that you need in this country and Mourinho’s man-management has brought that to Chelsea.

“Without team spirit or togetherness, you don’t have a winning formula, but José has generated that in his first season, despite not having known a lot of those players. His man-management has been his strength and you can tell that by his reaction to the players and their attitude towards him. Even with the kind of money they have, you still have to forge a team to compete at the level they have.”

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