Champion players failed sacked Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho

The same players who played under Jose Mourinho to win the Premier League have fallen from grace

 

SIR ALEX FERGUSON would stare into the eyes of his silverware winning players every pre-season to see whether they glistened with intent, ready to go again.

 

At the first signs of complacency, that they were sated with success, that the hunger had evaporated, Manchester United’s all conquering manager would start the clock ticking down on their Old Trafford careers.

If only Jose Mourinho had done the same in July then maybe ‘The Special One’ might not have morphed into ‘The Sacked One’.

Because clearly many of his title winners of May had quickly become pretenders as another demanding campaign approached.

 

Eden Hazard who had carried all before him winning the majority of individual awards had seemingly been neutered and when the bullet came his manager’s way on Thursday was still awaiting his first goal of the season.

Diego Costa, all menace and mayhem in front of goal turned into a pussy in front of goal. The street fighter might have remained but they were qualities more suited to the UFC than the Premier League.

Cesc Fabregas could easily slot into the lead role of the TV adventure ‘Lost’, John Terry has seen the years catch up on him while the calmness and stability which Petr Cech brought to the club’s back four has been badly missed.

Branislav Ivanovic, once such an influential figure, has become a liability and even Cesar Azpilcueta, the best left-back in the Premier League for the past two seasons, was run ragged by Leicester City on Monday night.

 

Only Willian has emerged from this dark period in Chelsea’s history with any credit as Mourinho’s misfiring men are saddled with the worst defence of a title so far since Leeds United in 1993.

As Mourinho’s frustration grew so it can be revealed did the colour of his language.

A Stamford Bridge insider revealed: “There have been more and more expletives from Jose towards some of the players in training – something which has rarely happened in the past.

“But worse than that in the past weeks Jose has had some of it back from a number of players who felt they had been unfairly singled out.”

But under owner Roman Abramovich it’s always the manager who pays the price, the players escape without redress.

 

It also appears Chelsea’s technical director Michael Emenalo possesses similar Teflon qualities, able to inform the club’s TV channel  there was “a palpable discord between manager and players” while escaping any inquest into some questionable recruitment which many observers believe helped undermine the club’s ability to defend their title.

Mourinho was livid that the new season began with just two new signings, Radamel Falcao and Asmir Begovic, while major targets like Everton’s John Stones remained out of reach.

Abramovich had gone against his wishes and allowed Petr Cech to join title rivals Arsenal who then crushed Chelsea in the Community Shield – a warning that the new season was about to implode.

 

The Eva Carneiro saga attracted unwanted publicity at Chelsea

 

The deteriorating dressing room atmosphere wasn’t helped by the flashpoint involving club doctor Eva Carneiro running into the pitch late in the Swansea City game to treat Hazard, a situation which is still on going.

The fact that the popular Carneiro was demoted from the first team and subsequently left her job upset a number of players, while the Chelsea hierarchy including Abramovich, weren’t happy with the negative publicity which surrounded the club.

Some players were also becoming tired of Mourinho’s tirade against other managers, Fabregas with his Arsenal connections believed to be appalled of the Chelsea’s manager’s rants aimed at Arsene Wenger.

Mourinho who visibly seemed to age week by week also became entangled in row after row with officials while Chelsea’s results went from bad to worse.

 

After a defeat against Stoke just before the international break in November the first contingency plan for life after Jose was hatched by some of Chelsea’s hierarchy who could hardly believe the speed of the club’s fall from grace.

All that was saving Mourinho from the exit door were the Chelsea fans, who in his absence at the Britannia Stadium through a stadium ban, wore face masks and carried into the ground life size cardboard cut outs of their messiah.

For once Abramovich was loathe to pull the trigger and victory over Mourinho’s old club Porto in the Champions League which sealed a place in the knockout stage reduced the heat on the greatest manager in Chelsea’s history.

 

Glenn Murray's winner for Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge increased the pressure at Chelsea

 

But then came Bournemouth to produce a stunning victory at Stamford Bridge followed on Monday night by Leicester’s victory which proved to be the end game for a now bedraggled and shell shocked manager.

Mourinho insisted he had been betrayed by his players – the training ground rows had now gone public.

It was either him to go or a massive exodus of under performing stars.

On Thursday the owner predictably decided it’s the manager who carries the can and prepared to rack up his compensation bill for sacked employees to around the £75 million mark.