Ranieri: It's tough for Jose

Claudio Ranieri today warned Jose Mourinho that winning the Premiership will not be as easy as he thinks.

Mourinho won five trophies in his last two seasons at Porto and is confident of ending Chelsea's 50-year hunt for the Championship in his first season in England.

Chelsea's new head coach mocked Ranieri's relatively poor return of two trophies in almost 20 years as a manager when he was appointed at Stamford Bridge last summer but the Italian has hit back by pointing out that the Premiership is far harder to win than the Portuguese league.

Chelsea have won six of their eight league games under Mourinho this season but enjoyed exactly the same unbeaten start last year before fading.

Ranieri, coach of Valencia, said: "Mourinho won many titles at Porto and has made a good start but it will not be easy. It's very difficult to say Chelsea will win this season.

"If I was still the manager I'd say the same. It's very difficult playing three times each week and luck is a very important factor." Ranieri was sacked by Chelsea in the summer but said: "I'm not bitter at my treatment. I'm disappointed because I wanted to finish the job but I understand the decision."

Ranieri's new club, Valencia, are second in the Spanish league but he has been unable to keep up with events in the Premiership.

He added: "I watched 10 or 15 minutes of the Manchester United game but that's all, because I'm living in a hotel and they don't show many matches. There's a golf channel, Arabian and Japanese channels but no football. It's driving me crazy!"