Jose Mourinho denies dressing room revolt, says he has four years to fix Chelsea

The club's worst start to a season in a generation has seen them look more like relegation candidates than potential champions, and rumours have been flying that Mourinho is to be fired imminently.

But the Chelsea boss insisted that he has the full support of Roman Abramovich.

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When asked how long he believes he would be given to turn things round, he stonewalled.

"Four years. No, three years seven months, something like that," he said, referring to the new four-year contract he signed after winning the league in May.

Mourinho was also asked about reports that he has lost the dressing room, following the BBC's claim that a senior player said this weekend that he would "rather lose than win for Mourinho."

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"I think it's a very sad accusation because you are using a player, or more than one player, accusing them of dishonesty," he said, denying that there are any problems between him and his players.

"If I accuse you of being a dishonest journalist I think you would be very upset and probably you'd take legal action. So I think it's a question for the players."

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At that point, Chelsea press officer Steve Atkins stepped in to attack the BBC's reporting of the story.

"The prominence which they gave a story which by their own admission came second or third hand is very disappointing," Atkins said.

"From a news organisation which prides itself on its integrity, we strongly feel that they fell well short of their standards."

[ANALYSIS: Sorry Jose, it's all over]

Mourinho also made a telling point about how a run of poor results was always likely, even harking back to a press conference he gave having won the Champions League with Porto over a decade ago.

"This is new for me," he said. "That’s why I’m a good one. I’ve not experienced this before.

"Yesterday a friend sent me some quotes of my press conference after the Champions League final in May 2004. I’d completely forgotten about it. In May 2004 I said that, one day in my career, bad results would come. I said that in 2004 after winning the Champions League final with Porto. One day the bad results will come and I’ll face the bad results with all the same honesty and dignity that I’m facing now as a European champions. May 2004.

"So, 11 years later, I resisted well to the nature of my job and the nature of football. 11 years waiting for this. It took time, but it’s come in a moment when I’m stable and strong to face it."

When pressed on what Mourinho needs to do differently to be a better manager, he responded:

"To do what I did all my life. Which is to study and, in my case, it’s difficult to study from others. When you reach my level, it’s difficult to learn from others.

"You have to learn from yourself, with your own experiences, day by day, analysing your work. That’s why I have a staff of assistants to discuss every detail of our job. I learn with it day by day, with the experiences which come every day."

Mourinho also said he knew what Chelsea's current problems are - but would not discuss them in front of the media.