Will Chelsea's players run through bricks walls for Jose Mourinho?

The Blues boss has cut an angry and dissatisfied figure in recent weeks, and his mood won’t have been helped by seeing his side crash out of the League Cup on penalties to Stoke City on Tuesday night.

 

Even though the performance at the Britannia Stadium was an improvement on the past few displays, former Liverpool star Hamann feels the writing remains on the wall because of the upset Mourinho has caused amongst his squad this season.

“There is an issue with the team even though they played better yesterday [against Stoke],” the ex-Germany international said on the Colin Murray show.  

“I think he’s got a mountain to climb to get back on track. He showed a bit more dignity and humility yesterday in his post-match press conference, and maybe he regrets a few of the things he’s done in recent weeks. But whether he’s gone too far already remains to be seen. I think so, and I’m not sure there’s a way back.

“The team is struggling and they are conceding too many goals. Can I see Mourinho there for the long haul? I’m not sure because I think he’s fallen out with too many players and you’ve got to have these people on board. I’m not saying you’ve got to pamper them and let them do what they want, but some of the things he’s said in recent weeks regarding Hazard, Terry, Ivanovic, it was just a step too far and I’ve never seen it at any top club in the past.

“Once the game starts on Saturday you need players who will go through a brick wall for you. Are they going to go through a brick wall for him at the moment? I don’t think so. Hence they will find it hard to win football matches.

“It will be interesting to see what happens now in the run up to Christmas. If he starts picking up points there might be a chance they [the manager and players] can get closer together again and he gets the team back on track.

“It will be a very interesting six or eight weeks until Christmas and I think the club will make a decision then. I wouldn’t get rid of him now, you’ve got to give him a chance, and yesterday was a step in the right direction, even though they lost, and we have to see what happens in the next few weeks.

“If they start winning and the players start performing again then there might be a chance, but if not, then I don’t think he’ll be there come the end of the season.”