JOSE MOURINHOwill earn a bonus of �5.2m ( 6m euros) if Chelsea achieve the quadruple of European Cup, Premiership title, FA Cup and League Cup this season. The payment, the equivalent of a year's salary, dwarves the bonuses available to players.

In theory Mourinho is just eight games . . . starting with today's league meeting at Newcastle and Wednesday's Champions League semi-final first leg against Liverpool . . .

from triggering that bonus. If Mourinho wins the European Cup he earns a one-off payment of more than �2m. If he retains the league the bonus will be more than �1m. The amounts for the two domestic cups are negligible but they become significant if part of a quadruple.

There has been a change at Chelsea in the last two weeks, and most markedly since the Champions League quarterfinal victory over Valencia. It culminated in Friday afternoon's carefully-worded statement by chief executive Peter Kenyon that the club had no intention of sacking Mourinho and that he had the "full support of everyone there".

There is a danger that too much is read into Kenyon's words, as it could well be that Roman Abramovich will simply weigh matters up at the end of the season when exactly what Chelsea have won can be properly evaluated.

Kenyon has tried to be a peacemaker in the rift that developed between Mourinho and Abramovich and, prior to Valencia, Mourinho was in danger of losing his job before the end of this season, never mind the summer. Before that the danger was that Mourinho was going to walk out, having decided that he could no longer work under the conditions . . . and interference . . .being imposed upon him.

A number of things have changed and chief among them is Mourinho. He has realised the abrasive style that saw him threaten to walk out two years ago only to earn an improved contract . . . and that has seen him upbraid, in particular, Andrei Shevchenko . . . will no longer be countenanced.

Abramovich no longer cares if Mourinho's agent lets it be known that Real Madrid and Internazionale are after his services. If Jose wants to go, he can go, has been the unequivocal message.

But the two sides have come some way since January. Then it was almost open warfare, with sources close to Mourinho giving briefings against the club and his main enemy, Frank Arnesen, the chief scout and director of youth development.

Suddenly, Mourinho appeared certain to be sacked, as Abramovich became disenchanted with the man he lured from Porto three years ago. Everything from Mourinho's public outbursts to the way he has his Chelsea team play has grated with the billionaire for much of this season.

It has been the story of the second half of Chelsea's season that adversity has proven what a good coach Mourinho is. He may not be willing to play the expansive attacking football of Alex Ferguson or Arsene Wenger, a brand of football that Abramovich certainly craves, but the strength of his team is their power and mental toughness. It's a trophy-winning mentality and he has also marshalled his resources wonderfully well.

Mourinho has also softened.

Sources say he is more relaxed and not as obsessed with showing the world he is "A Special One". He has stressed there are more important things in life than football and there does appear genuine concern that with his family settled in London he doesn't want to uproot them again.

Significantly, Mourinho has also been placatory to his enemies. He will now, it seems, listen to plans to re-structure the club. Abramovich is considering whether to appoint a general manager, which is something Mourinho would violently oppose.

But he says he will hear them out. Mourinho will also be told that he needs to project a less confrontational image.

Make no mistake, replacements have been sounded out. The Juventus coach Didier Deschamps rejected three approaches while Barcelona's Frank Rijkaard has rebuffed numerous overtures. For now the situation is calmer than it has been for months.

Abramovich, according to those within his circle, does not give a hoot about what people think of him as long as he doesn't appear a fool. It may well be that he is aware of how silly he may look if he sacks the man who wins the quadruple.

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