John Terry lifts the lid on life with new Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas

Posted Friday, August 12, 2011 by The Sun

John Terry lifts the lid on life with new Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas
And while Villas-Boas has shown he is his own man - backed by his clean sweep of trophies at Porto last season - Terry reckons there is nothing wrong with a bit of the old Mourinho filtering through.

Terry said: "Jose didn't like anyone getting close to the players, his own staff, his personal staff or masseurs.

"We had a good relationship with him but there were days you wouldn't have gone near him.

"You could have a laugh and a joke with Jose and that could change the following day.

"Andre is very much the same now as a manager."

Terry admits that the pressure on Villas-Boas, 33, is more magnified because he worked for Mourinho.

"I think it is but it's a bit unfair to him," said Terry. "Clearly he has learned from Jose and there are certain things where you think that is very Mourinho-esque.

"But we have to pay him respect and realise what he achieved at Porto.

"I know our Portuguese lads talked to some of the Porto players and they spoke very highly of him. He deserves our respect.

"Jose really took everything when he was here and Andre wasn't given the freedom to be able to do what he's doing now.

"But he has confidence in himself and when he tells you something he firmly believes it and he gets that across in 100 per cent the right way.

"He makes you believe that what he's talking about is right. His whole demeanour and his attitude is second to none.

"I've been really impressed with him. In pre-season, everyone thinks about running but from day one, we were working on our shape, the way he wanted us to play, the way he wanted us to press.

"He said it would take time and it will take games, which it did in the first few games. He understood that.

"But he wanted more from us after the second and third games. He feels we are in a position now that we are where he wants us to be."

The Stamford Bridge captain believes a certain fear factor from the manager is crucial.

He said: "I think that is really important.

"It's a fresh start for everyone. We've had to come in and prove ourselves, even though he watched every game last year and he knows a lot of the players anyway.

"He said anyone can lose their place so we all came in fighting for our places and we're all keen to see what the starting XI is going to be against Stoke."

Terry concedes that there have been times at Chelsea when the players have all needed a kick up the backside - to be reminded about the importance of winning.

"At times you go through the season when you're playing well and you're winning and you half take it for granted," he said.

"It is why you get the blips at the Wolves and the Stokes last year, where we slipped up.

"Andre just reminded us about last pre-season and how we hardly won a game.

"From day one, the very first thing he spoke about was that.

"And our mentality in our first game against Wycombe at the training ground was to win.

"You realise that not winning can have a knock-on effect. You go home to your family and take it out on them and your friends so all I want to do is to win.

"I want to be first at everything I do and we should all have the same mentality."

« Previous 12Next »