Chelsea chief executive backs Mourinho

LONDON, Apr 20 (Reuters) Chelsea pledged their support to coach Jose Mourinho today with chief executive Peter Kenyon saying the club would not sack him.

''Jose has a contract to 2010 and he wants to stay. We are not going to sack him, he has the club's support. That is the situation and we are agreed on it,'' Kenyon was quoted as saying on Chelsea's Web site (www.chelseafc.com).

Speculation has been rife that relations between Mourinho and Chelsea's billionaire owner Roman Abramovich had broken down to such an extent that the Portuguese coach would be forced out at the end of the season.

Kenyon said however that no list of alternative candidates had been drawn up, despite frequent suggestions in the media.

REUTERS TB BST2115