Back Jose to end the blues
MATT LE TISSIER says English football needs Jose Mourinho and believes he will fix Chelsea’s wretched start to the season – just not before they face his beloved Southampton.
The Saints visit a troubled Stamford Bridge tomorrow looking to pile more misery on the misfiring champions, who followed up Saturday’s fortunate 2- 2 draw at Newcastle with a 2- 1 defeat at Porto in the Champions League on Wednesday.
But Le Tissier feels Mourinho will stay and fight at Stamford Bridge despite his Blues side languishing in 15th place in the table, just four points above the bottom three.
“Right now it looks as though Mourinho is struggling to find the answer at Chelsea,” he said.
“The problem is that certain key players are really struggling for form. And this is an ageing team. Branislav Ivanovic is the prime example – his form has been shocking and it is a surprise that he has not been left out yet.
“And Eden Hazard – one of the finest players in the world at his best – has just not been at the races this season. ”
Le Tissier, speaking at the Sparks charity golf day at Essendon Country Club in Hertfordshire, believes class is permanent – and that goes for the manager too.
“Form will come back for these players,” he said. “But it is amazing how even the best players can suffer from a lack of confi dence. When a few results don’t go your way, you don’t try things as a player that you normally would. Even the elite players.
“But let’s not forget that only last May Chelsea won the league by eight points. These players have not suddenly become bad players in the space of a couple of months. To my mind, it is only a matter of time before Mourinho gets it right.
“And he will still be in charge at Chelsea at the start of next season . I hope he is because we need Mourinho here in English football – on and off the pitch. He is great for our football and he is a great manager. He will get it right.
“He said when he came to the club that he wanted to build a dynasty and I still believe he wants to do that.
“Mourinho will want to prove that he can come through a bad spell like this and bring Chelsea out the other side.
“And I still think that, despite the result at Porto, Chelsea will qualify for the knockout stages of the Champions League.”
Le Tissier does, however, hope the Chelsea revival is put on hold for just one more game this weekend.
Southampton have endured an uncertain start in Ronald Koeman’s second season in charge as yet more players, such as Nathaniel Clyne and Morgan Schneiderlin, were tempted away by the elite clubs. But the Saints are recovering their poise.
They have yet to be beaten on their travels this season and have won recent home games against Norwich and Swansea to leave them sitting in 10th place in the top fl ight .
Le Tissier, who believes that Koeman should be handed a new contract by the Southampton board now to keep him at St Mary’s, said: “It is not beyond Saints to go to Chelsea tomorrow and get a point.
“They have not been beaten away from home yet, they are well organised and they believe in themselves.
“It will be tough for Chelsea. They might have to wait a while for that revival.”
EACH year, Sparks charity organise more than 20 celebrity and corporate charity golf events at many of the UK and Europe’s most prestigious venues. Sparks raise money to fund pioneering children’s medical research. Find out more information at
Sparks. org. uk/ golf