Chelsea board mulls Mourinho future

Chelsea are drawing up a shortlist of managers to replace Jose Mourinho as his deteriorating relationship with the squad takes him closer to the sack.

“The players at this minute can not feel top players or they are superstars”.

There was Eden Hazard flicking a dismissive hand toward Mourinho as he stormed down the tunnel with an innocuously sustained hip injury.

“It is time for the players to be professional about it, where is your pride?” There are several outstanding candidates, and according to Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher, there’s no need to look any further than Leicester City for the league’s best performers. We are in the relegation zone – an area in the table.

“It seems like it’s hard for them and yes, you can have a go at the boss, but I also think you can have a massive go at the players at the moment”.

Maybe qualifying for the knockout stage of the Champions League has saved Mourinho.

“Last season was fantastic, this season has been tough, but we’re looking to turn that around”. It will be interesting to see how his players react to being publicly criticized.

For just the second time all season, José Mourinho opted to make no changes to the starting line-up in consecutive matches. “I hope Mr. Abramovich and the board want me to stay because I want to stay”.

Chelsea fans have concerns that there isn’t a direct replacement for Mourinho but there’s not entirely the case. Success has followed him everywhere he has been.

The Portuguese coach, though, has now presided over the west London club’s worst start to a season since 1978, at the end of which they were relegated.

This obviously means that Mourinho will have to keep suffering with the players he has or that he will not be at the helm of affairs by the January transfer window. The bad-tempered Costa has scored only three goals this season, is proving too easy for defenders to rile, and can not be relied on. Is it (Kurt) Zouma?

“We must always be at the top of our games, even when it’s not, and the behaviour has to be better than what we are seeing right now from every single Chelsea player”.

They have taken positives from some aspects of recent performances, although defeats to Bournemouth and Leicester in consecutive matches have led to serious questions being asked about whether Mourinho can inspire an upturn in form.

Mourinho has acknowledged that there are no guarantees he will be in charge for Saturday’s game at home to Sunderland. What in the world is going on at Stamford Bridge?