When you are a part of big side, you are not the only one waiting for your turn hence you always find it difficult to finally find a space in the last eleven and managing this list of fringe players has even been difficult for managers especially when they know they could need any of them anytime. Chelsea, the leading side in this English season, is one such side whose manager Jose Mourinho, though is a professional mentor, often finds it difficult to keep unused player motivated. We know, Blues have the army of world class players but since not all of them can play in every game, many have to rest in the dressing room while waiting for their turn. Mourinho understands the importance of keeping every teammate ready to impart with the side hence he never underplays the significance of every player sitting in the backyard. Chelsea’s next game with Stoke City is important in many ways, one: they can again top the table if they win this game, second: Portuguese can prove he can still sustain their leading position despite threatening competition from Manchester City who is fast catching them at the top.
Talking about the need of every teammate for the overall club success, former Everton manager said, “I’m very club, club, team, team, club, group. I think everybody has to be ready to sacrifice for the team, to give everything for the team, to think about the team, not to be selfish. This is the way I want a team to be.
“I think it is right when you say that players are unhappy or players are frustrated, that they need to be patient. I don’t have a secret to keep players happy. But the reality is that, to be professional and work at a high level, you don’t need to be happy. All of them are professionals. The team is more important than themselves, and the club. Even the ones not playing like Schwarzer, who hasn’t played a second, but if he has to play tomorrow he would be ready. Why? Because he is very professional and he trains very well.”
“We don’t have a secret to keep them happy because we don’t keep them happy. We may have a secret to make them work every day at a high level. I put the team up,” he said when asked how goalkeeper Cech would be satisfied. “It’s my decision and the players may not be happy with the decision, or not agree with the decision, but they know my decision is not to favour somebody or to punish somebody.”