Chelsea and Arsenal kick off the new English season on Sunday locked in a familiar war of words over spending power and with lingering bitterness over the Ashley Cole affair still splitting the London rivals.
The Community Shield at the Millennium Stadium used to be known as the Charity Shield.
But such is the currency associated with gaining a psychological edge at the start of a long campaign that there is little to be charitable about.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger insisted this week that Chelsea, flush with Roman Abramovich’s millions, are paying inflated prices to snap up the best players, questioning the £21-million pounds paid for England flyer Shaun Wright-Phillips.
The Frenchman was also incensed by Chelsea’s clumsy attempts to ”tap up” England defender Cole.
But Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho hit back at Wenger.
”I can’t take it seriously,” said the Portuguese coach, who led Chelsea to the Premiership crown last season.
”I’m not unhappy any more. Every week comes a new comment, and if you’re unhappy then you’re unhappy all season. I prefer to just give a laugh and keep going. I cannot take it seriously.
”If someone thinks they can make a noise to try to disturb me, or pretends to start a little fight, they make me comfortable, they don’t disturb me.”
Wenger, whose side won the FA Cup to take their place in the Community Shield, has lost skipper Patrick Vieira to Juventus this summer and failed in a bid to buy Brazilian striker Julio Cesar Baptista.
His one signing has been the £10-million capture of Alexander Hleb from Stuttgart.
By comparison, Mourinho has also splashed out £8-million for Asier del Horno from Athletic Bilbao and has still not given up hope of buying Michael Essien from Lyon.
One man he hasn’t managed to buy is Cole, with the Arsenal defender signing a one-year extension to his contract that keeps him at Highbury until 2008.
”With everything that happened at the end of the season, I’m just glad it’s over now and I can focus on playing for Arsenal and, just as every player here wants to do, winning things,” said Cole.
The player was fined £100 000 by the Premier League after an inquiry heard evidence that he met Blues chief executive Peter Kenyon, Mourinho and agents Pini Zahavi and Barnett on January 27 without Arsenal knowing.
Wenger wants to see how Arsenal adapt to life without Vieira.
”Patrick is a big name, we lost a big name, but when he came here he had no name and nobody knew him. I have players at this club who are not big names but they can make it because they have the quality,” said the Frenchman.
Thierry Henry has taken over as skipper and Wenger believes the striker is the ideal man for the job.
”He is a world-class player, respected everywhere, and he has always shown a big commitment to the club. He was already captain for some games last year, so he could already smell what could happen.”
Wenger has virtually a fully-fit squad from which to pick.
Sol Campbell is still recovering from a calf injury and misses the match, but Gilberto, yet to play since returning from the Confederations Cup, could be among the substitutes.
Chelsea too are injury-free as Mourinho insisted he is treating the Community Shield as halfway between the first game of the season and a pre-season friendly.
”It’s important because it’s the beginning of the season and normally involves two of the best teams, and because of that nobody likes to lose,” said Mourinho.
”In relation to the Championship it means nothing.” — Sapa-AFP