Chelsea files: How Jose Mourinho BANNED banter at Cobham training ground and why Blues figures facing sleepless nights
CHELSEA are still battling for a Champions League finish after their latest win over Leicester.
Enzo Maresca’s men edged past the relegation candidates in a narrow 1-0 win.
They now face a crunch Conference League tie against Copenhagen on Thursday before a trip to Arsenal on Sunday.
Ahead of a huge few days, our team of experts yet again bring you the inside track from Stamford Bridge… exclusively in Sun Club.
MIND OVER MATTER
JOSE MOURINHO’S mind games are legendary throughout football.
From stoking up feuds with rival managers and poking referees to create a sense of injustice, the Special One is a one-off.
But the most consistently successful coach in Chelsea’s history didn’t just limit his brain tricks to his enemies.
Even his own players could feel the force if they didn’t produce the goods day in and day out for the ruthless Portuguese.
Winger Salomon Kalou has revealed how Mourinho could spot any of his stars not pulling their weight – and he had a special way of dealing with it.
The Ivorian explained: “I have never seen a coach that knows his players so well like Jose does.
“Sometimes he would see you at training and get the feeling that you were training in a way because you think you won’t play at the weekend.
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“That is when he would start you but if you didn’t perform he took you off at half time and then told you why you were underperforming.
“He’d do that and when he finished you’d be there running out your lungs the next training session because you know he gets into your mind.
“For me it was important because back then as a young player I needed to know that it doesn’t matter whether I play five or 10 minutes I need to train properly.”
Mourinho combined being a demanding dictator determined to win at all costs with his sometimes hidden mischievous side.
During his second spell as manager between 2013 and 2015 the team was in such a rut that banter at the training ground was banned.
Cobham was a comedy no-go zone. Yet there were times when he couldn’t help himself from acting up.
On one occasion his players were on the deck going through fitness drills a couple of months into the season when suddenly they were hit by tiny objects pinging across the pitch.
They were baffled – and it was painful when they landed somewhere sensitive.
It took the player some time to work out that innocent-looking Mourinho, who was overseeing the turf session, had filled his coat pockets with acorns and every time his players looked away he let loose with a secret salvo of the tiny hard nuts right at them.
Kalou won the FA Cup under Mourinho and went on to win the Premier League and Champions League in later years.
But memories of Mourinho still stick in his mind as do the fans who chanted his name two weeks ago during a protest against the ownership and with the club struggling to keep tabs with English football’s elite.
Kalou said: “With Mourinho, pre-season was always important to his success. That is where it starts for him – if he smelled that you came to pre-season and wasn’t at it you’d have problems with him. “
THE WES EFFECT
WESLEY FOFANA made a welcome return from injury against his former side on Sunday.
The Chelsea defender had been absent since December but managed 73 minutes in the win over Leicester.
Just like under Mauricio Pochettino last season, Fofana’s absence has been a key factor in Chelsea’s struggles since Christmas.
The Blues continued a winning run shortly after Fofana’s injury, though that included victories over Southampton, Astana and Shamrock Rovers.
With the Frenchman back, Maresca will hope some consistency can return to his side – and the stats show he is right to be optimistic.
Chelsea’s win percentage with Fofana in the side this season is more than 20 per cent higher than without him (61.5 per cent compared to 40 per cent).
The Blues have lost just one Premier League game, against Manchester City on the opening day, with Fofana in the side.
Chelsea concede fewer goals per game (0.9 compared to 1.6) with the ex-Foxes man playing and gain more points per-90 too (2.2 compared to 1.4).
There will always be a number of problems for Maresca to balance at Stamford Bridge, but Fofana’s return should prove a big help at the back.
CASH AND CARRY
UEFA’s financial reports are usually a sure fire way to battle insomnia – but their latest publication could provide some at Stamford Bridge with sleepless nights.
Last week’s report showed that Chelsea have assembled the most expensive squad in history.
At the end of the 2024 financial year, UEFA estimated that the Blues squad was worth a staggering £1.4billion.
Chelsea’s long-term plan of paying for the brightest talents across the world is well documented, but it does mean they must face up to some stark figures until the potential comes good.
Mauricio Pochettino’s side finished sixth with 63 points last season – a cool £22m per point.
Chelsea’s American owners will be hoping the squad can become rather more cost-effective, to steal a phrase from their business world.
FAMILY FORTUNES
COLE PALMER is certainly more Champions League than Conference League.
But, now that the Blues star has been added to their European squad for the knockout stages, the England international is going all in on the midweek trips.
Palmer’s parents made the journey over to Copenhagen for Chelsea’s 2-1 first leg victory, taking in training the night before the game at the Parken Stadium.
FRENCH CONNECTION
BLUECO’S ownership of Strasbourg has been littered with fan protests and unrest.
Passionate supporters have remained silent during the first 15 minutes of matches, both home and away, in protest at their club being part of a multi-club ownership model.
The plot twist, however, is that they are potentially on course to qualify for Europe for just the second time since 2005.
In short, they’re actually quite good.
Smart recruitment has seen them build a competitive squad under talented young English manager Liam Rosenior.
Chelsea loanees Andrey Santos and Djordje Petrovic have particularly excelled – with the latter’s assured presence in goal a far-cry from Robert Sanchez and Filip Jorgensen’s dodgy displays back in West London.
Fan protests against BlueCo have noticeably dulled over the course of the season.
Leading ultras group UB90 remain staunchly committed to their opening 15 minutes of silence. But the rest of the Strasbourg faithful aren’t so sure anymore.
Many supporters remain philosophically opposed to the multi-club model, essentially feeling like Chelsea’s pawn – and UB90 will continue to display their anti-BlueCo banners.
But for a fair few, good results can heal all wounds – no matter how uncomfortable.
FRANKEN-FINE
FRANK LAMPARD’S standing among Chelsea fans will never dim.
So much so that a group of around half a dozen paid a visit to see their hero in his new job – at Championship Coventry.
They hired an executive box for Saturday’s home win over Stoke.
And ‘Lamps’ – who played for The Blues and managed them twice – was more than happy to meet the lads and pose for snaps with them after the game.