Blues ban Roo talk but Jose just can’t stop himself

Posted Friday, July 19, 2013 by The Sun

WAYNE'S WHIRL ... Mourinho was up to his old tricks as he tries to lure Roo

CHELSEA have banned all mention of Wayne Rooney — but that did not stop Jose Mourinho yesterday.

The Blues boss has sent another clear message to the unsettled Manchester United striker to follow his heart and find happiness again.

He did not mention Rooney by name but that was fooling no one in what amounted to an open invitation for the England ace to join him at Stamford Bridge.

Mourinho, who has had a £20million bid for Rooney rejected, said: “The most important thing in football, for players and managers, is the passion, happiness and feeling we have for the club.

“If you can execute your mission — not just because you’re paid for it, or because it’s your work, but because you can do it with happiness and passion and feeling — that’s the most important thing.

“For me, in the second part of my career — after 50 — the most important thing is the deep feeling that I’m at a really special football club.

“Chelsea became a really special club for me and can be a special club for anybody else.” Mourinho then mused about the World Cup chances of a player who is not first choice at his club.

That is another scenario that will resonate with the Three Lions hitman who cannot be mentioned.

The Portuguese added: “Players who want to go to their national team and play for their country, normally they must be first-choice players for their clubs and be playing regularly.

“That’s the big motivation if you are thinking about playing at the World Cup.

“If they want to go to the World Cup and they’re second choice at their club, then they’re in trouble. I think it’s a crucial year for them.

“I know many national team coaches are worried because they want players to play regularly for their clubs.”
Mourinho also repeated that David Luiz and Juan Mata are not for sale — and will still be at Chelsea for the start of the new season.

Asked whether they would be sold this summer, he said: “No chance. No chance.”
While Mourinho played it cool yesterday, Petr Cech is not convinced by his manager’s new ‘Happy One’ personality.

The Chelsea chief may insist he is more mature and calmer these days. But his towering goalkeeper is reserving judgment until he sees his old boss back in the thick of the action.

Cech says Mourinho has not changed as a coach, stressing he is as demanding as ever and wants to win just as keenly as ever.

The Czech star, 31, explained: “When you have someone who works at such a high standard every day, it never changes, it’s always the same.

“He doesn’t do things just for nothing. He always wants to win games, no matter if it is a Premier League game, a pre-season game or a Champions League game.

“So we will see during the season, this will be the moment to see the difference.

“In the pre-season he has been as demanding as he has ever been. He is as hungry as ever and wants to be successful. He’s always pushing the players hard to train, to concentrate, to do things in the right way.

“So if he is calmer or not we will only see when the season starts.”

And Cech is convinced that Mourinho will continue to demand the highest standards and pick what he sees as his best team regardless of age or reputation — just like always.

He said: “It’s the same whether you are 40, 31, 45, 28 or 15. If you are good enough you play, if you are not good enough you don’t play. I think everybody will play on merit, we have to earn our places and we are working to do so.

“But at this time of year, we just want to do well and to earn a place in the team.”

The threat of new signings is another added pressure but Cech says that goes with the territory of being at a top club like Chelsea.

He said: “If you end up with three more players because the club wants three more players, then your attitude is the same.

“You do your best to help the team to win things. If you buy players or don’t buy players, personally I feel the same.

“It’s the same for every team. You always want to have the biggest and strongest squad so you can challenge for titles.

“That’s why you have a manager and sporting director to take care of that and you have to do the most important part and that’s the work on the pitch.”

Blues ban Roo talk but Jose just can’t stop himself
BENCHED ... Wayne Rooney needs game time ahead of World Cup

One man Chelsea have snapped up this summer is Germany striker Andre Schurrle.

And the £17m hitman has revealed he had a secret heart-to-heart with Mourinho before committing his future to the club.

The Blues boss made a special journey to meet up with the 22-year-old at a testimonial match for ex-Chelsea star Michael Ballack.

And afterwards Schurrle says he was sure Stamford Bridge was the only place to go.

He said: “It feels good to know that Jose Mourinho pushed through my transfer.

“I had a talk with Mourinho at Michael Ballack’s testimonial when the transfer was getting closer.

“He told me that I have to do my game but also to play his game, do what he wants from me in this position.

“Of course, there were options but my heart said to me only Chelsea and so I’m really happy to be here.

“It was the only club I wanted to go to. It feels really good and it’s perfect for me. To come to Chelsea was the right decision.”

Schurrle showed flashes of his pace and skills during a first-half outing against Singha All Stars in Bangkok on Wednesday — his first game in Blue.

But he says there is much more to come from him yet.

He added: “It’s good to wear the Chelsea shirt and it was 45 minutes to get a little bit of fitness, to be in a team against real opponents, not only your team-mates.

“So I think it was good — but we all know that it can be better.

“I think in training it feels very good, I’m good in the team, I get the passes, so I think it’s going to be really good this season.

“Now we have to get to know each other on the pitch.”