The Chelsea manager, Jose Mourinho has dubbed three of his squad’s longest serving players “Serial Champions.”
Speaking to newsmen, Mourinho extoled captain John Terry, John Obi Mikel and Branislav Ivanovic who he said walks home almost every season with something in their pocket to show.
Mourinho’s remarks comes on the heels of Tuesday’s Champions League clash as he will be making a return to Portugal as Chelsea face his old side FC Porto in the Champions League.
He said: “There are two sorts of champions. There are those who win something, and there are lots of them.
“But there are the other champions who, during their career, win one, two, three, four, five, 10 or 20 titles.
“In this club we have 25 champions from last year, but serial champions in this squad? John Terry, Jon [Obi] Mikel and [Branislav] Ivanovic are serial champions. Almost every season they have something in the pocket. But how many other serial champions do we have?
“Last year we were champions, but the point for me is are we serial champions? Of course it’s very difficult to win every season, but you can be a serial champion in your approach and your attitude.
“Mentally, I can say I am a serial champion. I can be five or 10 years without winning a title, but I will still be a serial champion in my approach and my attitude. This is the problem we have at this moment. We have champions, but not serial champions.
“At this moment it’s difficult to win the Premier League, but possible. It’s difficult to win the Champions League, but possible. It’s difficult to win the cups, but possible.”
Mourinho then reveals he may go for youth at the expense of experience if results do not improve for the English champions.
“I’ve explained to the players that when the situation is open, I have to try and prepare the kids for their future and, at the same time, bring the best out of the players with more experience.
“But if the season becomes ‘closed’ and we can’t win trophies, I will go just with the kids instead.
“It makes no sense to play the older players when you have nothing to win. But at the moment, everything is open,” Mourinho said.
Mourinho’s men have taken just eight points from seven games in their defense of the Premier League title following a late comeback to claim a 2-2 draw over the weekend at Newcastle.
Mourinho had earlier said some nice words to Mikel, following his display in the club’s 4-1 whitewash of Walsall in the Capital One Cup last week.
Speaking to newsmen, Mourinho extoled captain John Terry, John Obi Mikel and Branislav Ivanovic who he said walks home almost every season with something in their pocket to show.
Mourinho’s remarks comes on the heels of Tuesday’s Champions League clash as he will be making a return to Portugal as Chelsea face his old side FC Porto in the Champions League.
He said: “There are two sorts of champions. There are those who win something, and there are lots of them.
“But there are the other champions who, during their career, win one, two, three, four, five, 10 or 20 titles.
“In this club we have 25 champions from last year, but serial champions in this squad? John Terry, Jon [Obi] Mikel and [Branislav] Ivanovic are serial champions. Almost every season they have something in the pocket. But how many other serial champions do we have?
“Last year we were champions, but the point for me is are we serial champions? Of course it’s very difficult to win every season, but you can be a serial champion in your approach and your attitude.
“Mentally, I can say I am a serial champion. I can be five or 10 years without winning a title, but I will still be a serial champion in my approach and my attitude. This is the problem we have at this moment. We have champions, but not serial champions.
“At this moment it’s difficult to win the Premier League, but possible. It’s difficult to win the Champions League, but possible. It’s difficult to win the cups, but possible.”
Mikel and Mourinho have a handshake
Mourinho then reveals he may go for youth at the expense of experience if results do not improve for the English champions.
“I’ve explained to the players that when the situation is open, I have to try and prepare the kids for their future and, at the same time, bring the best out of the players with more experience.
“But if the season becomes ‘closed’ and we can’t win trophies, I will go just with the kids instead.
“It makes no sense to play the older players when you have nothing to win. But at the moment, everything is open,” Mourinho said.
Mourinho’s men have taken just eight points from seven games in their defense of the Premier League title following a late comeback to claim a 2-2 draw over the weekend at Newcastle.
Mourinho had earlier said some nice words to Mikel, following his display in the club’s 4-1 whitewash of Walsall in the Capital One Cup last week.
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