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maltatoday WEDNESDAY 18 OCTOBER 2017 Sport 21 FOOTBALL Mourinho expects to be managing for another 15 years JOSE Mourinho expects to match former Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson and continue his career until he is 70, although he insists he will not be at Old Trafford that long. The 54-year-old Portuguese has won everything the game has to offer but said he was go- ing to be around for the long haul. "I think I'm going to be in foot- ball 15 years more minimum," Mourinho said when quizzed about his future yesterday ahead of United's away Champions League clash with Benfica. Ferguson ended his glittering managerial career aged 71 af- ter 26 years in charge of United for whom he won 38 major tro- phies. Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger, 67, is the current longest serv- ing manager in English football having taken over the north London club in 1996. Mourinho, however, said emu- lating those two's longevity with one club is now "impossible". He has never lasted longer than four years in any job al- though he distanced himself with reports linking him to French club Paris St Germain. "I have my contract which ends in June 2019. We are in Oc- tober 2017 so I don't know what to say," Mourinho said. "I told people, and it is true, that I am not going to end my career at United. How is it pos- sible in modern football that any manager lasts 15 or 20 years in the same club. (Arsene) Wenger is the last one. "If my career was ending in three, four or five years then yes, I would end my career at Unit- ed. Yes it's true I haven't signed a new contract; but I'm also not thinking about leaving." Conte left to weigh up risks as Chelsea stretched thin CHELSEA'S squad is being stretched thin and the strain is beginning to show on man- ager Antonio Conte ahead of to- night's Champions League home clash against Roma. The Italian will be without sev- eral key players for the Group C match at Stamford Bridge which follows hot on the heels of Chel- sea's shock 2-1 defeat at Crystal Palace on Saturday. That loss was Chelsea's third in eight matches in the Premier League this season - only two less than the whole of the last campaign when Conte took them to the title in his first year in west London. Striker Alvaro Morata missed the Palace defeat but is expected to face Roma, although N'Golo Kante and Victor Moses are both out with hamstring injuries that could sideline them for several weeks at a crucial stage of the season. Midfielder Danny Drinkwater is also still missing. Conte, who appeared under- whelmed by Chelsea's summer squad-strenghtening with a re- turn to Europe looming after last season's absence, said he was left with few options. "When there are injuries of this type, it's very difficult for us. This is the situation and we must overcome it and try to do our best," he told a news conference on Tuesday. "The problem is that the same players are always playing. In our team we have players not used to playing three games in a row. For Kante it's the first time, for Mo- ses it's the same. "For Morata it's the first time he will play with this team. When you have a lot of games you need to protect players. If this isn't possible I have to take a risk." Chelsea missed out to Totten- ham Hotspur for the signing of the experienced Fernando Llor- ente during the transfer win- dow while Michy Batshuayi is yet to impress Conte despite his last-minute winner at Atletico Madrid that left Chelsea on top of Group C with two wins from two games. Conte said his lack of striking depth left him with a dilemma over Morata. "I could have taken a risk to play Morata on Saturday against Pal- ace but I am not stupid because the situation is difficult," he said. "We have to play every three days and we're very thin on the ground (with players) at the mo- ment. Honestly there's a risk of having other injuries. I hope not but I think the best way is to take it one game at a time and de- cide in every game which is the best formation and sometimes whether to take a risk or not." Chelsea manager Antonio Conte