Terry, Lampard, Čech and Drogba on what Mourinho demanded at Chelsea

John Terry

Frank Lampard

Petr Čech

Didier Drogba

John Terry, Frank Lampard, Petr Čech and Didier Drogba have described what it took to play for José Mourinho at Chelsea, and how far each of them was prepared to go for him.

The four Chelsea legends speak in the Netflix documentary series Mourinho, in a clip shared by Netflix Sports.

Lampard: “He could be brutal”

Lampard said Mourinho rarely needed words to set the tone in the dressing room.

He didn’t have to say anything to make you aware that you could get on the wrong side of him, I would say. The way he carried himself, I think, made you feel that.

When the manager did speak, it could sting. Lampard recalled the message players were given if their commitment slipped.

And he could be brutal. “If you’re not gonna go my way and have the dedication that I demand, then I’ll call you out in front of everybody,” and that was harsh.

Terry: ignored in the treatment room

For Terry, the test was simple: be fit and be on the training pitch.

Physically, you had to be very robust. You need to make sure you’re available for him. And if not, he would just completely ignore you.

The former captain described lying in the treatment room with a minor ankle strain, having been told he would miss a couple of weeks, when Mourinho walked in.

And he comes in, goes around the whole, uh, physio room, high-fiving everyone, cuddles, and gets to me and walks out.

Terry first thought he had upset his manager, then realised the problem was simply that he was not training. He asked the physio to inject him and strap him up, went out to train, and got what he called “a little seal of approval of a nod”.

Mourinho’s own view on pain was just as blunt.

If it’s a pain you cannot cope, inject.

Čech: “Just carry on”

Čech said he kept going through a far more serious injury, with his manager’s encouragement.

I played with broken shoulders, and he said, “Come on, you’re still better than every goalkeeper in the league with broken shoulders. Just carry on.” I’m like, “Okay, okay, I’ll do that.”

Drogba: “In a coffin for him”

Drogba summed up the loyalty Mourinho inspired in two sentences.

For him, I would give everything. I would leave that pitch in a coffin for him.

Terry said he had never seen a manager hold a squad the way Mourinho held that one.

I’ve never seen a group of individuals follow one person like we did him.

The documentary series Mourinho is now on Netflix.