Jose Mourinho says he and Roman Abramovich are completely in tune about the direction of the club.
The Russian owner is famously impatient and has been happy to sack trophy-winning managers in recent seasons.
But the Blues boss says Abramovich – to whom he gives regular, detailed reports on developments at the club, has bought in to the idea of looking more long-term this season.
“From the beginning, we are all in this picture,” Mourinho said.
“I was in this club, and we decided to separate, then to come back together. It was a big decision for the owner to bring me back, and a big decision for me to come back.
“When you commit to that decision, it's not just because we had a good personal relation and respect, but also because we agree to go in a certain direction. I accepted that direction.
“What I feel is that, in this moment, I'm not doing, we are doing. It's not my philosophy, it's our philosophy. It's not the way I want the team to play football, it's the way. It's a long-term project.
“Since day one, we are in the same direction. The Champions League this season is for our team to get experience, the experience we didn't get last year because they didn't play in the knock-out phase, the real Champions League.
"In terms of the Premier League, the experience the team are getting is fantastic.”
Mourinho added: “People used to look at me as a guy who arrives at a club and attacks immediately the title, and wants to go to teams who are ready to attack the title. For me, this was a different profile of job:
“Imagine in three years' time if the club do not want me to sign a new contract, the team is here. The structure is here. It's in place. We are doing this.
"Obviously I want to stay, and in three years' time I want to be here. But the work we're doing is for the next time.”
