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| Garry Monk is looking to spring another surprise on the opening day of the Premier League season |
A YEAR ago, in his first full campaign as a manager, Garry Monk caused a mighty upset on the opening day.
His Swansea team went to Old Trafford and won 1-0, embarrassing Louis Van Gaal on his Manchester United Premier League debut.
This afternoon, Monk, takes his team to Chelsea, the home of the champions, looking to inflict another bloody nose.
It comes as Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho, who is yet to add a major new signing to the squad, warned of the dangers of standing still and stagnating.
But Mourinho also pointed out that on both occasions in his career he did the treble, in Portugal with Porto and Italy with Inter Milan, in neither season did he win his opening game.
The difference between the two managers in terms of experience and what they have won is stark. But Mourinho, 52, said: "People speak about young British managers. I speak only about British.
"There are no young and old for me. I am happy with this. It is too easy to be a foreign manager and to come to England. Before it was very difficult - you had to do a lot before you won the right. When I came here for the first time, I came because I had done well.
"Now, I think people forget British managers and change them for other people that you don't know how they get here. It makes me happy that Garry, Eddie Howe and Alex Neil are here.
"But there is also Steve McClaren, Alan Pardew, Tim Sherwood, Tony Pulis. It is a good situation."
Monk, 36, who steered Swansea to a remarkable eighth place last season and has just signed a new three-year contract, said: "Jose is the closest as a manager you can get to a guaranteed trophy, him and Pep Guardiola."
Chelsea won twice against the Swans last season, 4-2 at Stamford Bridge and 5-0 at the Liberty Stadium in what Mourino called at the time a "perfect" performance.
Monk said: "I have gone back through those games and I can tell you it was very difficult to watch, but you try to learn lessons and get the players to learn lessons.
"I have tried to focus on putting our best performance on the pitch, which we haven't done against them, apart from the first 45 minutes up there.
"The rest wasn't good enough, and that game here was one of the few occasions where I questioned the players. we will have to be an awful lot better defensively."
Mourinho, who this weekend is hoping to complete the £18m signing of Augsberg left back Baba Rahman, and is set to make a third approach for Everton defender John Stones, said: "Of course it is dangerous to stand still. If you stand still you get worse - that's right.
"But the same people can move forward. You don't need to buy 10 players to be a better team. You can be a better team with one or two new players and the same people.
"The advantage, is that they think together and they will all be thinking 'the club keep me, they trust me. So now it's our time to give it back'.
"Give the manager, the board, the club, what we deserve."
Last season's top scorer Diego Costa, who had been a major doubt with a hamstring injury, trained last night and could still figure provided he has no reaction overnight.
Mourinho said: "What can I say? I prefer a situation where the player is never injured, a player never as problems.
"There is nobody to blame - I can't blame the player, because the player works hard and I completely trust the medical department. So I am calm and positive and believe he will be with us.
"If not, I go with Loic Remy and Radamel Falcao. But obviously Diego is a top striker. Not just for the goals he scores, but the football he produces. I cannot say I don't need him."
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