Andre Villas-Boas vowed not to quit Chelsea even though they end the season without a trophy.
Instead the beleaguered Blues boss challenged Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich to sack him.
Villas-Boas has been the subject of intense scrutiny in recent weeks with the London club in a form slump and media reporting a rift with several players.
Although admitting that not winning silverware would be deemed a failure, he insisted he would never resign.
"It is one of the most difficult jobs in the world," the Portuguese told British newspapers. "(But) I would never resign.
"I would never give up. It's not part of my education."
"I'd never resign. It's not part of my education. I've said in the past that any Chelsea team finishing a season trophyless is not good enough," he said.
"Would I deserve to stay if that happened? Ask the owner," he added.
Chelsea are out of the title race, face an FA Cup fifth-round replay at Birmingham on Tuesday and are 3-1 down going into a Champions League last-16 second leg against Napoli.
Ahead of Saturday's crucial Premier League trip to West Brom, Villas-Boas defended the 'Back me or sack me' attitude he displayed in a Portuguese radio interview.
The former Porto boss claims he had no issues with Frank Lampard or other stars such as Ashley Cole.
Villas-Boas, the seventh manager to be appointed at Chelsea since Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich took over as owner in 2003, went on the attack when he was asked whether he had cleared the air with some of his squad.
"Why do you think I haven't?," he replied. "Who says I haven't?."
Vice-captain Frank Lampard has been in and out of the team all season and last week the midfielder said his relationship with Villas-Boas has "not been ideal."
"Frank explained his personal view," the manager added. "He feels something is missing but for me there is nothing missing.
"It is an unhappy dressing room because we are fifth in the league. If we are first and 17 points ahead it would be an extremely happy dressing room.
"Any problems would be put to one side," added Villas-Boas. "I don't see any problems in my relationships with players.
"Lampard? Ask any player who doesn't play all the time if he has a good relationship with the manager."
Villas-Boas also said leaders Manchester City now had more financial muscle in the transfer market than Chelsea.
"Maybe in the past we had it (spending power) but not how it has been applied by City this season," he explained.
"I don't think you can compare the two squads. They have a better squad, have more depth, with good players.""I hope, one day, to have the CV that Frank has at this club, which is amazing in terms of trophies.
"I don't see any problems in my relationships with the players.
"It's an unhappy dressing room as we are fifth."