source = soccerage.com
06/03/2004. Chelsea's new coach Jose Mourinho has immediately turned his attention to trimming the size of the club's squad.
The former Porto boss only wants to be working with 21 outfield players and three goalkeepers, which could see as many as 12 players leaving the Bridge - allowing for Mourinho to make a couple of his own signings.
"I will be ready [to assess the squad] when I have worked with the players for 15 days," he explained.
He added: "The way I work, I need everyone to be concentrated. I need to work with small groups.
"I think in top clubs when every player is a top player the biggest question is about motivating people.
"I cannot have a player in my squad who knows it is very difficult for him to play. When I have 30 players and three right-backs, the third right-back knows from the beginning that for him to play the first one has to be injured and the second to be suspended.
"When you have a big box of oranges and one of the oranges is sick, one month later you have 10 oranges to send to the garbage. So I want everyone to have a strong motivation."
Having won the Uefa Cup and Champions League in the last two years, as well as everything there is to win in Portugal, Mourinho could be excused for rating himself highly, although he claims it isn't arrogance.
"Please don't call me arrogant because what I'm saying is true," he said after describing himself as a "top manager". "I'm European champion, so I'm not one of the bottle. I think I'm a special one."
06/03/2004. Chelsea's new coach Jose Mourinho has immediately turned his attention to trimming the size of the club's squad.
The former Porto boss only wants to be working with 21 outfield players and three goalkeepers, which could see as many as 12 players leaving the Bridge - allowing for Mourinho to make a couple of his own signings.
"I will be ready [to assess the squad] when I have worked with the players for 15 days," he explained.
He added: "The way I work, I need everyone to be concentrated. I need to work with small groups.
"I think in top clubs when every player is a top player the biggest question is about motivating people.
"I cannot have a player in my squad who knows it is very difficult for him to play. When I have 30 players and three right-backs, the third right-back knows from the beginning that for him to play the first one has to be injured and the second to be suspended.
"When you have a big box of oranges and one of the oranges is sick, one month later you have 10 oranges to send to the garbage. So I want everyone to have a strong motivation."
Having won the Uefa Cup and Champions League in the last two years, as well as everything there is to win in Portugal, Mourinho could be excused for rating himself highly, although he claims it isn't arrogance.
"Please don't call me arrogant because what I'm saying is true," he said after describing himself as a "top manager". "I'm European champion, so I'm not one of the bottle. I think I'm a special one."
Buy on AliExpress.com
.. i pleasantly forgot that we still have him..:down:
