I'M SORRY, JOSE
Hazard admits he was ‘out of shape’ in season Mourinho got the sack
EDEN HAZARD has revealed he would be prepared to play under Jose Mourinho again despite a deterioration of relations between the pair towards the end of the manager’s time at Chelsea.
The pair are set to be reunited next weekend when Hazard’s Chelsea face Mourinho’s Manchester United as the Premier League resumes with a hotly anticipated fixture at Stamford Bridge.
Relations between Hazard and Mourinho grew frosty during the nightmare 2015-16 season that saw Mourinho sacked by Chelsea — and the Belgian has now admitted he returned for pre-season unfit.
Hazard told Belgian newspaper HLN: ‘I have had one bad year — the last six months under Mourinho and it was partially my own doing. After winning the title, we asked Mourinho for extra holidays.
‘I was totally out of shape at the start of the season, I remembered that lesson this summer — four weeks after the World Cup, I was back in training at Chelsea.
‘The last season under Mourinho was not pleasant any more, we didn’t win, we got into a routine, training without having fun, it was better for all parties it ended.
‘But now if I’m asked if there’s one coach with whom I would like to work again, then I say, “Mourinho”. When you win, Mourinho is the best coach you could imagine.
‘He is your friend, you can do whatever you want. Want one day off? He gives you two.
‘Even his image of an extremely defensive coach was not fair. He is not as adventurous as Pep Guardiola but the year we became champions, we scored loads of goals and played good games.
‘I do not have many regrets in my career but not spending longer with Mourinho is one. We had a team capable of winning lots of trophies but we just ended up in a negative spiral,’ he said.
The comments were particularly interesting as Real Madrid president Florentino Perez remains a close friend of Mourinho and the Portuguese coach may be a future target of the Spanish club to return as manager. Hazard, whose own contract at Chelsea expires in 20 months and is stalling over a new deal at Stamford Bridge, remains a long-term target of Real Madrid and has said it would be a dream to play for the European champions.
He also joked this week that he may need to move to La Liga if he is to finally win the Ballon d’Or.
Hazard’s reflections on Mourinho may therefore alert Madrid, who could be considering a reunion for the pair at the Bernabeu.
Current coach Julen Lopetegui is already under pressure after Real Madrid went four games without a win or a goal and the Madrid press have linked Perez with another move for Mourinho.
Hazard, who turns 28 in January, added: ‘I’m going to stop talking about Madrid.
‘Let me say this. If I play for Real Madrid, I will be very happy, and if I never play for Real Madrid, it is because it is not allowed. And then I will be happy at Chelsea.’