McCarthy keen for Mourinho meeting

BLACKBURN new boy Benni McCarthy has arrived in English football admitting how much he has missed Jose Mourinho.

Rovers’ new £2.5 million striker served under Chelsea boss Mourinho at Porto when the Portuguese club won the Champions League.

Mourinho may have got under the skin of a few in English soccer, but it is clear that Blackburn boss Mark Hughes has a lot to match up to in McCarthy’s eyes, and he has already noticed that Chelsea visit Ewood Park in August, in Rovers’ second home league game.

McCarthy insists that Porto changed dramatically after Mourinho left and his former manager has reproduced their spirit and quality in two dramatic title seasons at Chelsea.

He said: “I have really missed Jose since he left, I can’t wait to meet him again.

“Porto has changed a hell of a lot since Jose left. He produced a tougher type of football and mentality. Porto were on a higher level, winning the UEFA Cup and the Champions League, but they have dropped back now.

“Porto has changed as a team, and although Portugal is not as competitive as England, Porto had shown they could survive at that level and win trophies.

“Since he took over at Chelsea you can see that high level and high spirit in their team. It is a sight for sore eyes in football.

“I missed him and everyone who played under him missed him. He knew how to bring the best out of every one of the players under him and that is always important.

“A manager needs to know a player well and know how to motivate them, and he does that brilliantly.

“You hardly ever hear a player who has worked for him every have anything bad to say about him.

“Porto are trying to get back to the level they had under Mourinho, but it will be hard. He was a very special manager and I loved working for him, I have missed him and am looking forward to seeing him again when we play Chelsea.”