London - Jose Mourinho has slapped down Chelsea legend Didier Drogba, accusing his former player of criticising the club in order to sell books, before telling current striker Diego Costa that he is “not reading the game properly”.
Drogba, who scored 164 goals and won 12 major trophies at Chelsea, many of them under Mourinho, had said Chelsea did not have as many leaders as they used to. But the Portuguese hit back last night, saying he had little interest in what he thought was merely promotional material for Drogba's autobiography.
“When you speak because you want to sell books, I don't read,” Mourinho said. “I like interviews, I like interviews from big guys like Didier with good journalists or newspapers or television. But this is not an interview. It was to sell books.
“It doesn't disappoint me, it was just the reality. It was just to sell books. I can analyse Didier's interview with pleasure, but not Didier selling books.”
Mourinho was almost as scathing about the misfiring Costa, the man many thought could equal Drogba as a Chelsea legend when he joined from Atletico Madrid last year. Costa scored 17 goals in his first five months at Stamford Bridge, but his form has dipped as he struggled with hamstring and disciplinary problems. The Spain striker has hit just four goals this season - against West Bromwich Albion, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Aston Villa and Norwich City - and has seven goals in 10 months.
Mourinho and Costa had a touchline row against Maccabi on Tuesday over the striker’s lack of movement, and the Chelsea manager said last night the player was not currently at his sharpest.
“He’s not reading the game properly in these actions,” Mourinho said. “That was my opinion. As a striker he must read; you have to play not when you have the ball, but when others have the ball. You have to anticipate things and read the game faster.
“Everything is an accumulation [of confidence]. You’re not on fire again just because you’ve scored a goal against Norwich. It’s a process.”
Mourinho, however, insisted his relationship with Costa was still intact after the pair’s exchange of words in Israel. After that game, Mourinho had said the issue had been solved with “a kiss and a cuddle”.
He added on Friday: “Everything is OK, no problem. In the game I told him, from a distance, that I was not happy with the movement he did. He told me also a few nice words from where he was. Nothing happened at half-time.”
When Jose attacks - Mourinho's rants this season
Eva Carneiro and Jon Fearns“I wasn’t happy with my medical staff. Even if you are a medical doctor or secretary, you have to understand the game.”
Arsène Wenger“The one who can push people in the technical area. He cannot achieve and keep his job, still be the king.”
Six unnamed players He criticised several for their “unstable attitude in terms of motivation, desire and commitment” after a draw at Newcastle in September.
Referee Robert Madley(after October loss to Southampton) “We have a penalty, a giant penalty and he was afraid to give - like everyone is afraid to give - a penalty.”
The Football Association“£50,000 [his subsequent fine] is a disgrace. The possibility of a stadium ban is astonishing.”
Graeme Le Saux“I don’t have one single problem inside the squad. I don’t have a Graeme Le Saux.”
The Independent