Mourinho dribbles Accra fans

Flamboyant Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho on Tuesday night virtually assumed his players' roles, and between the short space of the Kotoka International Airport tarmac and the arrival hall, he managed to dribble almost everyone as he tried to storm into town unnoticed.

Scores of Mourinho and Chelsea fans had thronged the Airport to welcome the Chelsea delegation long awaited to arrive in Ghana to lend support for charity causes.

And when at 8:00pm, the British Airways flight arrived with the delegation, led by Mourinho, many were the fans, some of who had travelled from far in the capital and its environs, whose expectations rose high. They were at last face-to-face with their idol.

But unknown to them, Mourinho was in no mood to indulge in praise singing, and he thought of a smart plan to outwit the waiting crowd.

He decided to move out casually; indeed as any other traveler.

Mourinho almost succeeded though, for when the first couple of fans who made him out could blow the alarm, the highly emotional coach was almost into his waiting 'get-away' car.

Security details had persuaded the fans Mourinho would be using one exit of the arrival hall, and succeeded in swaying them away from his real exit.

But when he was made out, he quickly had to beat a retreat and re-enter the halls, later to be 'scooped' out through the Cargo Village.

Security was similarly tight at the Golden Tulip Hotel where the team lodged.

The Chelsea delegation; including Mourinho, Neil Bath who manages the Chelsea Academy and Silvino Louro, the goalkeeping coach, as well as a couple of players and Ghana's own Michael Essien who was expected on Wednesday, is on a five-day tour to help raise awareness for Right to Play, a sports charity supported by Chelsea.

They team is also expected to hold coaching clinics for clubs and coaches.