• Champions League

Mourinho could lose the dressing room, warns Cruyff

ESPN staff
April 7, 2014
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Johan Cruyff has claimed Jose Mourinho could lose the dressing room at Chelsea if he continues to blame his players for poor results.

Mourinho has repeatedly criticised his strikers this season, most recently after his side's 3-1 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League last week, and has stated his intention to reinforce in the summer.

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Barcelona legend Cruyff criticised Mourinho in the past when the Portuguese decided to dub himself 'the Only One', as opposed to the 'Special One', while in charge at Real Madrid.

Having seen the comments after the PSG match, Cruyff believed Mourinho may face a repeat of his experience at Real Madrid, when he appeared to lose the support of a large section of the squad during his final season.

In his column for Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf, Cruyff said: "For starters, I think the French [PSG] have a strong team with good players. Chelsea also have good players but, according to their coach, Jose Mourinho, they're not that extraordinary.

"In that respect, it's the same old story. When things go well, it's down to him; if they don't, it's down to the players. I saw how he lost the dressing room at Real Madrid and it's possible the same thing is going to happen at Chelsea.

"To ask for a €70 million striker as if it were perfectly normal - that is an attitude I have trouble understanding. More so if you look at the attackers he has in his squad.

"The problem is simply that Mourinho always focuses squarely on the result. Everything else is secondary, even all the top players he has running around for him. It is short-term thinking and that's something I can't connect with."

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