Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has offered consolation to Andre Villas-Boas following his departure from Tottenham Hotspur.
The 36-year-old Portuguese coach, who worked with the Blues boss at Porto and during his first spell at Stamford Bridge, was sacked as manager by the North London club on Monday.
There has been no secret made of their distant relationship since Villas-Boas decided to go into management, but Mourinho has revealed that he called his former protege to lift his spirit.
"I spoke with Andre in the last six months; I spoke with him three times," the Belfast Telegraph quotes the 50-year-old as saying. "One in that manager's meeting [at the start of the season], one when we played against them and another one a couple of days ago.
"I didn't speak about [the sacking]. Just: 'Come on. The world didn't finish. Let's go. Tomorrow's another day and another job will come. So, happy Christmas'."
When asked if he was shocked by the decision, Mourinho added: "In football nothing surprises me. When they gave him three or four or five years' contract, I think they did it because they trust him and because they think he's the right man to be their manager.
"They have a couple of bad results, I don't think it's a reason to change the trust and to change the manager. Every case is a different case. I don't know what was going on."
Spurs and Chelsea played out a 1-1 draw at White Hart Lane in September.
Michael Penkman
