Mourinho: Big names not guaranteed starting spots

CHELSEA manager Jose Mourinho has vehemently denied owner Roman Abramovich will demand his big-name signings are guaranteed starting positions, insisting he will select players regardless of who they are.

The arrivals of Andriy Shevchenko and Michael Ballack have increased the competition at Stamford Bridge but Mourinho is adamant he will not be afraid to leave his big-name stars on the bench.

Following the Blues’ 1-0 defeat by MLS All Stars, Mourinho said: “The player’s name, stature and history doesn’t matter because the team always comes first.

“We could have Pele and Maradona but the best teams are always in front of the players.

“Nothing and nobody can change that. I will pick a team not for the players.

“I have to make choices and I will forget their stature and history and how much they earn and the money they cost the club.

“I am interested in what happens on the pitch and I don’t care abut names.”

The colourful Portuguese boss also insisted Abramovich’s desire to enhance Chelsea’s global profile will not get in the way of his and the players’ aspirations to be more successful on the pitch.

Mourinho continued: “The club has a business area and they want to improve the profile all the time.

“But there will be no conflicts of interests with the football side. That is separate to the football side.

“I won’t put other interests in front of the football side. If the club say to me they have to go to an Adidas shop I would say no because the players have to rest before training sessions.

“The players know my way of management and they appreciate that.”

While admitting his team will not be completely prepared for next week’s Community Shield against Liverpool, the former Porto boss insists the first game of the season against Manchester City is one they must win.

Mourinho acknowledges the Blues have raised the bar so much, their opponents know one defeat could spell disaster in the race for the title.

He added: “I just told the players it is compulsory to win the first game of the season and when the first game is finished I will then tell them it’s compulsory to win the second game.

“Man United had a very good run of consecutive victories and their number of defeats would have been good enough six years ago.

“But we lost no matches the first season and three matches last season and everybody knows you can’t lose a lot of matches.

“Last season wasn’t as easy as the first season to win. Everybody was trying to beat Chelsea or trying not to lose against us.

“Some teams just defended but that’s normal. You can criticise bigger teams for those tactics but not the smaller teams.

“Teams have a different approach to us but that is a big motivation for me because I can imagine every Man United, Arsenal and Liverpool player and their managers wanting to stop us win matches.

“The ambition is big for me to see if we can prepare for a season and team in 15 days.

“I have never had such a period off because of the World Cup.

“It was six weeks’ holidays with football matches and for me I want competition.

“This season is a new experience for me because I have a group of players to get ready in 12 days.

“I have to prepare the team in a different way than I used to do.

“I will use the Community Shield as a preparation match.”