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By Mike Collett
LONDON, Sept 20 (Reuters) - There has never been a coach in English soccer quite like Jose Mourinho, the self-styled "special one".
Brian Clough came closest. The former Derby County and Nottingham Forest manager was equally outspoken, single-minded and similarly possessed of a talent to win trophies -- he was just nowhere near as good-looking.
From the day Mourinho arrived at Chelsea from Porto in June 2004 the charismatic Portuguese infused his club with a sense of self-belief it had never truly possessed in almost 100 years of a fairly mundane and under-achieving existence.
Chelsea had been champions of England just once, in 1955. Their list of major honours was tiny compared to the likes of Liverpool, Manchester United, Arsenal, Everton and Tottenham Hotspur.
Chelsea had won the FA Cup only three times, the League Cup twice and the defunct European Cup Winners Cup twice before Mourinho arrived.
Under his guidance, however, Chelsea have lorded it over the rest of England and come close to major honours in Europe too.
Mourinho led Portuguese club Porto to the Champions League crown in 2004 before quitting to join Chelsea.
He steered them to the Premier League title in his first season in charge, incredibly losing just one match in the process. They defended their title the next season.
The London club also won two League Cups and the FA Cup and were twice narrowly beaten in the Champions League semi-finals.
Mourinho may have had the backing of Russian billionaire owner Roman Abramovich but previous Chelsea managers like Gianluca Vialli and Claudio Ranieri had also spent millions without achieving great success.
GREATEST MANAGER
Mourinho had to bring the right players to Stamford Bridge and shape them into a title-winning team, a feat he achieved twice to make himself the greatest manager in the club's history.
Chelsea never lost a home league game under his guidance and, with his tactical nous and Abramovich's cash, have established themselves as one of Europe's top clubs.
However, increasing tensions were bubbling away under the surface.
Mourinho's relationship with Abramovich became strained last season and the coach let it be known he was unhappy with certain appointments within his backroom staff.
Although Chelsea were winning most of their matches last season, landing the FA Cup and League Cup double, their style of play was often uninspiring.
They never won over the support of neutrals and at times Mourinho was vastly more entertaining in his pre and post-match comments than his team were on the field.
Still, he brought glamour and passion and was a breath of fresh air for the English game.
He built an incredible team spirit at Stamford Bridge with loyal men prepared to back him all the way and Chelsea will not be the same without him.
Whether they go back to being the also-rans they often were in the past or grow into one of the world's top clubs as they believe they are destined to become is now no longer Mourinho's concern.
The new man will have a tough act to follow.
