Mourinho will curb behaviour in line with new rules and calls on rivals after Wenger spat

Jose Mourinho has welcomed the new change in rules

JOSE MOURINHO has pledged he will accept the FA's new clampdown on manager's behaviour as long as it applies to everyone.

 

The Chelsea boss has already had one spat with a rival manager this season as Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger refused to shake his hand after the Community Shield game at Wembley on Sunday.

Last season the pair indulged in an extraordinary pushing and shoving match in the technical area when Chelsea beat the Gunners 2-0 at Stamford Bridge.

 

Arsene Wenger refused to shake Mourinho's hand after the Community Shield on Sunday

 

The rival managers also had a spat last season

The FA have since issued an edict that managers could face heavy punishment from a new code of conduct on behaviour that comes into effect immediately.

But Mourinho, who accused referees of conducting a campaign against his team last season as they ran away with the title, said: "I agree completely - I just hope it's for everybody."

It was not hard to see he who he was referring to. Wenger got off scott free for the shoving incident at the time, with Mourinho claiming that, if he had done it, he would have received a stadium ban.

 

Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore admitted he could not care less if managers shake hands - but they must behave.

"This was just a clarification," he said. "A graduated system is in place. First there is a quiet word from the fourth official, then a slightly more formal word and if it gets out of hand the referee will come over.

"If that doesn't sort it, then the ultimate sanction is removal to the stands.

"But I don't think them not shaking hands is good or bad. What would be worse is a meaningless handshake.

"It is an issue between two individuals. If they want to shake hands that's fine, but I would much rather concentrate on the camaraderie between managers and clubs.

 

"It is remarkable how much camaraderie there is. Authenticity is far more important. Shake hands if you mean it, shake hands if you want to shake hands.

"If there is some enmity between you, that is for individuals and for them to decide, not me. It is rivalry, it is competitiveness and people understand it goes back a long way."

Mourinho goes into Saturday's opening of his team's defence of the Premier League title against Swansea admiting he is worried about key striker Diego Costa, who will miss the game after picking up yet another niggling hamstring injury.

Chelsea insisted that their 20-goal top scorer would not need surgery but that a summer of rest and rehabilitation would solve the problem. But Mourinho's words told a different story.

"I have to be honest and say Diego Costa's fitness is a bit of a concern," he said. "It doesn't make me happy.

 

"Obviously a player who didn't finish last season and doesn't start the next doesn't make me happy.

"I'm not speaking against the boy because the boy is trying hard, but he had a little problem in our friendly againts against Barcelona - the next day the scans show there is no injury, next day again there is no injury, next day he is not comfortable - and 24 hours before the game we don't know if he plays. It's not good feeling for him or me.

'You will never listen to me speak about injured players as excuses. If we have no Diego, we go with Loic Remy and Radamel Falcao and when he is ready we welcome him with open arms."

Mourinho has insisted that Chelsea will not be going into the transfer market before the summer window closes to solve the potential problem but it understood that the club are monitoring the situation and have not completely ruled out another signing.