Jose Mourinho has been stunned by allegations that morale is so low in the Chelsea dressing room that one of his players would ‘rather lose than win’.
The
incredible claim was made by respected BBC 5 Live presenter Garry
Richardson during his long-established Sportsweek programme on Sunday
morning.
Chelsea
sources claim that the pressure on Mourinho to turn results around
following their sixth defeat of the season in the Barclays Premier
League — 3-1 at home by Liverpool on Saturday — has left him close to
breaking point.
Jose Mourinho is under pressure and a
Chelsea player has reportedly said he
would 'rather lose than win'
Mourinho shouts instructions during Chelsea's
disappointing 3-1 home defeat against Liverpool
on Saturday
Richardson’s
remarkable allegations have led
to a whispering campaign about the
identity of
the mystery player, but the reality is that
Mourinho’s
stormy relationship with his
players will ultimately cost him his job.
Richardson said: ‘Let me tell you what I know on the Chelsea story. My information comes from a Chelsea first-team player.
‘The
information was actually passed to me by a football contact. I was told
that Jose Mourinho’s relationship with many of his players is at rock
bottom.
‘I was
told they’re fed up with the way he’s been dealing with some of them.
They’re fed up with his outbursts. I was told that his relationship,
particularly with Eden Hazard, was under immense strain.
‘Here’s a staggering quote. One player said recently, “I’d rather lose than win for him”.
‘Now
that last quote may well have been said in the heat of the moment, but
it perhaps gives an insight into the mood of some of the players.’
Mourinho speaks to his coaches on the pitch after
the game - Sportsmail showed footage to a lip-reader
The reality is that Mourinho’s stormy relationship
with his Chelsea players will ultimately cost him his job
Mourinho was more than guarded in his
post-match interview, refusing to speak to
BT about the game
Mourinho
gave a series of bizarre post-match interviews to various television
and radio stations following the defeat by Liverpool when he refused to
comment on specific aspects of the game.
He
then spent 15 excruciating minutes in the centre circle with various
members of his backroom team as they attempted to put the club’s latest
setback into some context.
Hazard’s
relationship with his manager is back under the spotlight following
Mourinho’s decision to haul off the PFA Player of the Year and replace
him with Brazilian youngster Kenedy in the 59th minute at Stamford
Bridge.
The
Belgium forward tolerated Mourinho’s consistent references to him as
‘the kid’ in his first two seasons at the club, but they have a clear
difference of opinion over their approach to the game.
Hazard,
among others in the Chelsea squad, is tired of the football politics
and criticism, both public and private, that the players have been
subjected to by their demanding manager.
The
24-year-old is already determined to force a move to Real Madrid next
summer if Mourinho remains in charge at the London club beyond the end
of the season.
Hazard
has a long-standing ambition to play for the Spanish giants he
supported as a boy. He idolises the great Zinedine Zidane, who is
currently coaching their nursery team.
PFA Player of the Year Eden Hazard was replaced
by Kenedy in the 59th minute at Stamford Bridge
Hazard’s relationship with his manager is back
under the spotlight - they have a clear difference
in opinion
Hazard is already determined to force a move
to Real Madrid next summer if Mourinho
remains in charge
Chelsea’s
fractured dressing room is also missing the stabilising, soothing
influence of Didier Drogba following his decision to move to MLS team
Montreal Impact at the end of last season.
Despite
Drogba’s limited role in the first team during the title- winning
campaign last season, his seniority and presence helped to unite the
team.
On
Friday, Mourinho scoffed at the idea of Drogba returning to Chelsea on
loan after his involvement in the MLS play-offs, but they are certainly
missing the link he provides between the players and manager.
Mourinho
will also be frustrated by the failure of his players to respond on
Saturday against Jurgen Klopp’s side after the Chelsea manager and his
coaching staff became convinced that they were back onside.
The
Portuguese coach admits he has tried almost everything to motivate the
players and he was sure that the performance at Stoke City in the
Capital One Cup on Tuesday — even though Chelsea lost on penalties — was
a breakthrough.
That
appeared to be the case when Ramires converted Cesar Azpilicueta’s
left-wing cross in the fourth minute against Liverpool, but beyond that
the team were outplayed.
Hazard has a long-standing ambition to play for Real
and is tired of the football politics and criticism at Chelsea
Chelsea are missing the link club legend Didier Drogba
provides between the players and manager
The
panic and sheer terror in the champions’ back four, comprising
internationals who have represented England, France and Spain, was one
of the most alarming features of the game.
Morale
and confidence within the dressing room is at an all-time low and there
are rumours that a number of the players are being sounded out by the
hierarchy for their views on Mourinho’s disintegration.
Chelsea
continued to back Mourinho over the weekend, but it has become clear
that he is now managing the club on a game-by-game basis as they wait
for owner Roman Abramovich to make his next move.
The
Russian authorised the statement backing Mourinho following the
shocking 3-1 defeat by Southampton on October 3, but it also included
the caveat that results simply had to improve in the short term.
Since
then they have won just once in five games and have lost three in eight
days — West Ham, Stoke and Liverpool — under a man who believes he is
one of the game’s super coaches.
Ramires gave Chelsea the lead with a well placed header
before things fell apart for the home side
Christian Benteke (second from left) fires Jurgen
Klopp's side into a 3-1 lead at Stamford Bridge
He
signed a new four-year contract, worth in excess of £10million, at the
start of the season, but there are penalty clauses if Chelsea fire him
again.
Abramovich
was forced to pay Mourinho and his coaching staff a total of £18m when
he was sacked in September 2007, a figure that was noted in the club’s
published accounts the following year.
Even
if he is eventually fired by Chelsea, he will have an open invitation
to coach Monaco because of his agent Jorge Mendes’s close ties with
their Russian owner Dmitry Rybolovlev.
Chelsea’s
bedraggled players reported to Cobham on Sunday morning for a scheduled
training session as Mourinho started preparations for Wednesday’s
Champions League clash with Dynamo Kiev at Stamford Bridge.
Results
in the Champions League have not been good — Chelsea were beaten 2-1 by
Porto in their second group game — and they are third, a point behind
Kiev in Group G, going into this week’s clash.
Chelsea
maintain that they will not tolerate a season without Champions League
football, even though Mourinho referenced Manchester United’s
seventh-placed finish in the Premier League following Sir Alex
Ferguson’s retirement in 2013.
Mourinho signed a new-four year contract, worth in
excess of £10million, at the start of the season
The Portuguese, who could coach Monaco, is now
preparing for the midweek clash with Dynamo Kiev
Tags
SOCCER