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Mourinho in Ghana on youth training mission
ACCRA (AFP) - "Mourinho, Mourinho" chanted the Chelsea supporters who burst into the El Wak football stadium as the English club's manager supervised training for Ghana's would-be future professionals.
Brandishing his prize - Jose Mourinho's autograph on the back of his 50-dollar cellphone - one of the supporters, Opare, told AFP why he loves the Portuguese manager.
"He gave me his signature on the back of my phone and I can't remember the last time I was this happy. Other coaches don't like black people," he said.
Mourinho is in Ghana with several young Chelsea players as part of the first major initiative in the six-year partnership announced in January between the recent FA Cup winners and the Canadian NGO Right To Play, which aims to highlight the importance of sports in promoting development, peace and health.
Since Ghanaian midfielder, Michael Essien joined Chelsea in 2005, the English club's support-base here has been increasing steadily.
"I am especially pleased to be in an African country because I have a big feeling with Africa," Mourinho told a press conference earlier in the day. He reminded journalists his wife Tami is Angolan.
"My wife is African. My relationship with Africa is deep and if I want to make somebody smile and somebody feel good, African kids are a part of it."
Back on the lush green pitch of the stadium meanwhile, a group of girls in yellow jerseys decided to show their coach for the day that what they may lack in football skills they can make up for in dancing expertise.
Even though they didn't get much face-time with Mourinho, the 70 children who participated in the Accra training session were pleased to have been part of the exercise.
"The training was very good for me," said 15-year-old Faustina who aspires to be a professional and play in Europe.
Ismail Suleman, a student from the national football academy at Winneba, said the training session brought him closer to his dream.
"I've always dreamed of playing for Chelsea," he said. "Now that I am closer to them, I think one day the dream will come true."
Mourinho for his part said Chelsea was on the right path with its Right To Play project.
"In my opinion to be a big club you don't need just trophies and cups and victories," he said.
He will fly out of Accra on Thursday night and Essien who flew in Wednesday evening, will take charge of the second leg of the trip - training sessions for children in the northern town of Tamale.
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