Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has banned his agent from contacting other clubs as speculation over his future with the London club refuses to go away.
The Portuguese boss was again linked with a summer switch to Spanish giants Real Madrid on Friday but he insists he is not a 'liar' and wants to stay with the English champions at least until his contract expires in 2010.
Mourinho has told the Chelsea board he wants to remain in charge but so far there has been little to indicate that the hierarchy at Stamford Bridge will give him what he wants.
The Chelsea supremo has guided the club to within shouting distance of an unprecedented four-trophy haul and yet speculation persists that he will be axed by owner Roman Abramovich when the season ends.
Pressure on the Russian billionaire to make a statement about the manager's future is beginning to gather build and, while he remains silent, Mourinho underlined his desire to stay by banning advisor Jorge Mendes from hawking his name around Europe for another job.
Mourinho said: 'What I have said 20 times at least is that I want to be here and I can not do more than that.
'I am not a liar. I am honest. So when I say 200 times to my players, to my supporters, the board, to everybody, even the people who don't support Chelsea, that I want to stay at Chelsea, I want to honour my contract, I want to be here, I love the club, and I love English football, I can do no more that.
'I have forbidden my agent to speak with other clubs, I don't want my name to be linked with other jobs.'
Abramovich's refusal to make the situation clear over Mourinho's future only serves to ensure that it remains the focal point of a sensational season.
The Blues boss claims 13 other managers have been linked with his job, with Russia coach Guus Hiddink telling Saturday's Football Focus on BBC1 that he speaks to Abramovich 'but not about the Chelsea job'.
Mourinho openly admits such unease is not good for his players. In the absence of any clear statement from the club's owner, it is further testament to his managerial skills that Chelsea continue to chase glory on three major fronts.
He claims that his future, and that of two of his senior professionals, remain the subject of constant scrutiny whereas his Barclays Premiership rivals get off lightly.
Mourinho added: 'Real Madrid is not like Chelsea. Chelsea has 13 managers and Real Madrid has five. It is not a nice picture for (Real boss) Fabio Capello, it is not a nice picture for me.
'If the players love the manager it is not nice for them and if you compare that with the other clubs, there is a big difference. In Spain everything is cool and fine around Barcelona, Sevilla, Valencia.
'In England there are no problems with Arsenal and Arsene Wenger, Manchester United and Sir Alex (Ferguson) or Liverpool and Rafa Benitez. They speak about the future of Liverpool, the new owner and projects for the future.
'In Chelsea every day it is "Mourinho stays or Mourinho goes", "Lampard signs or doesn't sign", John Terry "goes or stays". So you live in a different atmosphere.'
All the more reason why Mourinho deserves to know where he stands, with Getafe boss Bernd Schuster on Friday becoming the latest to tip Mourinho as the next Real Madrid boss.
Schuster, who is thought to be in the running for the Bernabeu job if Real decide to dispense with Capello, was quoted by Spanish newspaper Marca as saying: 'I think Mourinho is going to win the battle to become the new Real Madrid coach for next year. He has a very good chance of doing it.'
