Thibaut Courtois has admitted there are Chelsea players fighting for their futures as they attempt to salvage the club’s season.
But, while his own future may not be under threat, goalkeeper Courtois is fully aware that there are players now effectively on trial under interim manager Guus Hiddink until the end of the season.
As well as working to find a new permanent manager, Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich and technical director Michael Emenalo will spend the second half of the season assessing whether or not the squad will need a big summer overhaul.
Chelsea have made a good start under interim manager Guus Hiddink
Oscar, who was often out of favour under Mourinho, has already responded to the challenge by producing improved performances, while striker Diego Costa has found his touch in front of goal and John Obi Mikel has grasped an unexpected chance in midfield. The contracts of captain John Terry and Branislav Ivanovic are due to expire at the end of the season.
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Asked if players are now playing for their futures after Mourinho paid for bad results with his job, Courtois said: “Yes of course. We know we are responsible as well. We had team meetings where we said the same, we said ‘ok the manager has gone but we are responsible as well. We need to pick up our level because we are not playing good enough for a Chelsea player’. Now we are stepping up our game and that's good.”
Chelsea’s upturn in form since Mourinho’s exit has only strengthened theories outside the club that the players had stopped responding to the methods of the Portuguese.
Courtois says the players must take some responsibility for Chelsea's demise
Courtois admitted that some players may have changed their mentality now Mourinho has gone and suggested Hiddink is creating a more relaxed working environment by taking more of a watching brief in training.
“When results are not good the first one to get criticised is the manager, but it's not only the manager - the players have to take responsibility as well,” said Courtois. “We were the ones not playing as well.
“Of course with a new manager some things change. Maybe some players the mentality changed, things change. We picked up some good results, some good football and then it goes again. We are still the same team that last year were the champions with Mourinho.
Jose Mourinho was sacked as Chelsea manager last month
“It's something psychological. Sometimes it changes with little changes. Maybe we needed a change to pick up our level again, I don't know. I was out of the team for three months (with injury), so it is hard to say there was a problem in those months.”
On the influence of 69-year-old Hiddink, Courtois added: “Of course, he has said some things that he wants us to do, some different aspects of the game. The training is different as well.
“Sometimes it's his approach in how he wants us to train, maybe sometimes it's a bit more tactical or a bit less. There are different types of little games we play or sometimes more shooting on goal to give confidence to the strikers. Sometimes he is more outside of training, more observing. He leaves training to Steve Holland and Eddie (Newton), and he just puts in when he thinks 'I need to explain this to the team’. When he explains, he explains it well. Every manager has his way of working.”
Chelsea were much improved during their 3-0 win at Palace on Sunday
Despite making such a mess of defending their Premier League title, Courtois believes Chelsea can still make this a positive season by winning either the FA Cup or the Champions League.
Chelsea start their FA Cup campaign in the third round against League One Scunthorpe at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
“Obviously, if you win the FA Cup or Champions League, it will be a positive,” said Courtois. “Maybe ‘success’ is a big word after not playing well until the last three or four games. But with the FA Cup or the Champions League it could still be a positive season and if we end up in the top four or top six.
Courtois would like to see Didier Drogba return to Stamford Bridge
“We have to go step by step. Some teams are close to each other and if we win against West Brom or Everton we could be eighth or ninth in a few weeks. Everything can go very fast, we just need to have the results.
“You know how it goes in the FA Cup, we can play every team. First we have Scunthorpe and we have to be prepared. It will be a hard game, there are no easy matches in England. After that you don't know who you're going to get.
“You could play only the smaller teams and only face a bigger one for the final. But you can also be eliminated like we were against Bradford last year, the FA Cup can go very fast. But, hopefully, we can win it and then the Champions League. You never know.”
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Chelsea are currently in negotiations with Major League Soccer and Montreal Impact over a deal to bring Didier Drogba back to the club as a coach and Courtois thinks it would be a good move.
“I had a good relationship with him,” said Courtois. “Last year, he was a great addition to the dressing room and our team. If he comes back as a coach it would be a great addition to the squad and all the team.”
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