Superstar coach Jose Mourinho may be The Special One but someone appears to be more special than him in the reckoning of Chelsea of England owner Roman Abramovich and that person is ex-Nigerian international Michael Emenalo, the technical director at European champions Chelsea.

Reports from England have it that Russian billionaire Abramovich has rejected a request by Mourinho that Emenalo be sacked with the rest of Chelsea’s technical crew as a condition for him to return to the club at the end of this season.

According to the UK’s Daily Mirror, Chelsea bosses have made it clear to Mourinho, at present Real Madrid manager, that “he will have to accept working under Technical Director Michael Emenalo if he wants to return to Stamford Bridge.”

Emenalo was taken to Chelsea by former manager Avram Grant with whom he once worked in Israel and became Abramovich’s darling, surviving several purges and steadily rising through the ranks as a backroom staff to his present exalted position at the London team.

“The Portuguese has been in talks for months with Chelsea and wants total control of playing personnel and transfer of players,” says a Supersport report.

It adds that “to underscore Emenalo’s importance at Chelsea, the Nigerian made a recent trip to Brazil in a bid to lure Neymar to join the Blues.”

“Mourinho,” according to the report, “is already said to be considering working with the Nigerian should he rejoin Chelsea.”

•Photo shows Emenalo.