Mourinho for Real? No way Jose says Perez
JOSE Mourinho’s damning final verdict on some of the Chelsea players who cost him his job is that they are “mentally weak”.
That does not include goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who Mourinho will try to sign if he returns to management with one of Europe’s top clubs.
Close allies of Mourinho claim the Portuguese thinks Chelsea’s spectacular demise that resulted in him losing his job was down to players not being able to cope with the pressure.
He felt the biggest problem was the mentality of under-performing stars such as Eden Hazard, Diego Costa, Oscar and Branislav Ivanovic, who failed to cope with their loss of form.
Despite technical director Michael Emenalo’s claim that there was palpable discord between Mourinho and his players, the Portuguese has already received messages of goodwill from captain John Terry, Cesc Fabregas and Cesar Azpilicueta.
Mourinho holds no grudges against the players, but feels this disastrous campaign has highlighted a mental weakness among members of the Blues squad, which incoming shortterm manager Guus Hiddink will now have to deal with.
Hazard effectively substituted himself against Leicester City with a dead leg and Mourinho would have left the Belgian out of his side for yesterday’s game against Sunderland if he had remained in charge.
Mourinho had picked his team to face the Black Cats in the hours before his dismissal and Oscar was also due to be dropped. The Brazilian’s inconsistent form had been a constant source of frustration to his former manager.
Costa had been Mourinho’s ultimate warrior during his first titlewinning season at the club. But, despite continuing to get himself in trouble on the pitch, the striker has suffered a crisis of confidence in front of goal and has only scored seven times since January.
The relationship between Costa and Mourinho gradually soured and the latter claimed on Monday night that the Spain international was so low on belief that he was running away from the goal, presumably in an effort not to miss chances.
Costa had also reacted badly to being dropped, tossing a bib in Mourinho’s direction at White Hart Lane and heading straight for the team bus after the final whistle against Tottenham Hotspur.
Ivanovic, 31, has been one of Chelsea’s worst performers all season and has showed little sign of finding any form, with suspicion growing that the right-back is getting ready to leave the club at the end of the season.
Mourinho had hinted at his dismay over the attitudes of some players in his final interview with Chelsea’s inhouse television station, in which he said: “Some of them need to rethink how they live Chelsea, they live football, they live their job.”
One player he certainly has no doubts over is Courtois, who he rates as the best goalkeeper in the world.
Mourinho has already been linked with a return to Real Madrid and he would recommend the Spaniards target Courtois. He would also chase the 23-year-old with any other top European club.
Real president Florentino Perez has ruled out an instant return to the Bernabeu for Mourinho, but suggested the 52-year-old could go back to the club he managed for three years in the future.
Other than Real, Mourinho has already been linked to Manchester United, with Old Trafford believed to be on his wish-list of places to work.
Mourinho is likely to attempt to sign Courtois in the future.
Chelsea are unlikely to accept any bids for Courtois, from Mourinho or anybody else, but failing to qualify for the Champions League could make it tougher to convince the Belgian that Stamford Bridge remains his longterm home.
On the possibility of Mourinho replacing Rafael Benitez at Real, Perez said: “Will Mourinho coach Madrid again? Nobody can predict the future, but right now I say no.”
Perez has left the door open for Mourinho to make a switch back to Madrid.
“I have very good memories of Mourinho. He raised the competitive level. When he got here we occupied 13th place in the Uefa rankings and Mourinho got us back to the top and helped us play three [Champions League] semifinals in three years.
“But Benitez is coach of Real Madrid now. We chose from many and we thought that he was the right person for this moment.
“After we won the Club World Cup, we began a gradual deterioration from January and needed a new impetus. We believe Rafa Benitez must be given time.” — The Telegraph