rediff.com
News APP

NewsApp (Free)

Read news as it happens
Download NewsApp

Available on  gplay

Rediff.com  » Sports » The Special One hatches plans with 'young' team
This article was first published 11 years ago

The Special One hatches plans with 'young' team

September 18, 2013 09:31 IST

Image: Jose Mourinho of Chelsea arrives for a training session in Cobham training centre on Tuesday
Photographs: Clive Rose/Getty Images

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho, famous for often surreal quotes, returned to a favourite theme on Tuesday when he described his players as "beautiful, young eggs".

After saying that he planned to field four players under 22 against Basel in the Champions League game at StamfordBridge on Wednesday, Mourinho was asked about the quality of his squad.

Reprising a theme from six years ago, when he complained about having to make do with inferior players in his first Chelsea stint, the Portuguese said his current squad were "beautiful, young eggs.

"Eggs that need a mum, in this case a dad, to take care of them, to keep them warm during the winter, to bring the blankets and to work to improve them," he continued smilingly as journalists chuckled.

"One day will arrive the moment when the weather changes, the sun rises, you break the eggs and the eggs are ready to go for life at the top level."

Mourinho has a handful of new players bought in the transfer season

Image: Jose Mourinho and his support team watch as Chelsea players prepare for a training session at the Cobham traning centre on Tuesday
Photographs: Clive Rose/Getty Images

In 2007, near the end of his previous spell at Chelsea, Mourinho famously complained about financial constraints at the Premier League club by saying: "In the supermarket you have class one, two or class three eggs and some are more expensive than others and some give you better omelettes.

"So when the class one eggs are in Waitrose and you cannot go there, you have a problem."

Mourinho's new Chelsea have Brazil playmaker Willian, forward Andre Schurrle, Dutch midfielder Marco van Ginkel, Australia goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer and veteran Cameroon international Samuel Eto'o, all signed since the end of last season.

Mourinho confirmed Brazilian Oscar and record goalscorer Frank Lampard, both midfielders, would start the group game but said he had not yet told the other players if they would be picked.

Source: REUTERS
© Copyright 2024 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon.