Jose Mourinho accepts there are frustrated and even unhappy individuals in the Chelsea dressing room but is confident such players are ready to help the team during this hectic festive period.
An exceptional start to the season means the west Londoners head to Stoke on Monday at the top of the Premier League and, in theory, able to win an unparalleled quadruple.
Mourinho joked the only quadruple he is interested in right now is a fourth consecutive victory in all competitions when the Blues play their first of five matches over the next 14 days.
Read more: Jose Mourinho says Chelsea must avoid repeat of last season’s nightmare trip to Stoke City
It is a period Chelsea look well placed to succeed over due to the strength in depth at their disposal, which sees top-quality internationals amongst those having to wait patiently for a chance.
Mourinho knows that brings with it a certain level of disgruntlement, yet believes it makes the players hungry and ready to bring the Blues success.
“I’m very club, club, team, team, club, group [orientated],” the Portuguese said.
“I think everybody has to be ready to sacrifice for the team, to give everything for the team, to think about the team, not to be selfish. This is the way I want a team to be.
“I think it is right when you say that players are unhappy or players are frustrated, that they need to be patient. I don’t have a secret to keep players happy.
“But the reality is that, to be professional and work at a high level, you don’t need to be happy. All of them are professionals.
“The team is more important than themselves, and the club [is].
“Even the ones not playing like [Mark] Schwarzer, who hasn’t played a second, but if he has to play tomorrow he would be ready. Why? Because he is very professional and he trains very well.
“We don’t have a secret to keep them happy because we don’t keep them happy.
“We may have a secret to make them work every day at a high level.”
One of those frustrated players appears to be Petr Cech, who this term has been displaced as number one by Thibaut Courtois.
Mourinho says the long-serving Czech is one of the top three goalkeepers in the world, but would have no problem bringing a fit-again Courtois back in at Stoke.
“I put the team up,” the Chelsea boss said when asked how Cech would find out.
“It’s my decision and the players may not be happy with the decision, or not agree with the decision, but they know my decision is not to favour somebody or to punish somebody.
“It’s what I think is best for the team at a certain moment. This is the way I do it.
“It’s one of the first things I say to every squad at the beginning of the season: I don’t give explanations to players unless they ask me for one.
“If somebody come to me and ask me to explain, obviously [no problem]. But, by principle, I don’t explain things.
“I have to see if Courtois is 99 per cent or 100 per cent. If he’s 99 per cent he doesn’t play for sure.
“I have to make life easy for me. If I explain to one, I have to give them all explanations. In Christmas, I’d spend all the time giving explanations.”
Mourinho gave a curt response when one Chelsea player knocked on his door - “I said [the other guy] was playing better, closed door, goodbye” - and says even the likes of Mario Balotelli and Iker Casillas did not approach him at former clubs.
“It’s the concept of helping the team,” he explained. “The one that comes on in the last five minutes, he can be a crucial player.
“If he makes a mistake, the team loses. If he does well, the team wins. It is the concept of the team - everybody wins, everybody loses.”
English Premier League results & fixtures
Saturday
Manchester City 3 Crystal Palace 0
Aston Villa 1 Manchester United 1
Hull City 0 Swansea City 1
Queens Park Rangers 3 West Bromwich Albion 2
Southampton 3 Everton 0
Tottenham Hotspur 2 Burnley 1
West Ham United 2 Leicester City 0
Sunday
Newcastle United 0 Sunderland 1
Liverpool 2 Arsenal 2
Monday (in UAE time)
Stoke City v Chelsea, midnight
Follow us on Twitter @SprtNationalUAE
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'Worse than a prison sentence'
Marie Byrne, a counsellor who volunteers at the UAE government's mental health crisis helpline, said the ordeal the crew had been through would take time to overcome.
“It was worse than a prison sentence, where at least someone can deal with a set amount of time incarcerated," she said.
“They were living in perpetual mystery as to how their futures would pan out, and what that would be.
“Because of coronavirus, the world is very different now to the one they left, that will also have an impact.
“It will not fully register until they are on dry land. Some have not seen their young children grow up while others will have to rebuild relationships.
“It will be a challenge mentally, and to find other work to support their families as they have been out of circulation for so long. Hopefully they will get the care they need when they get home.”
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