Eden Hazard appeared to unfavourably compare Jose Mourinho to Antonio Conte following Chelsea’s 3-0 win over Burnley.
There were numerous reasons for Mourinho’s implosion at Chelsea last season, but the inability to get his best player back onside proved to be decisive in ending his second spell as Blues’ manager.
Hazard appeared to down tools as Mourinho couldn’t find a way to motivate him again. Against Leicester City last December, when he needed his best player to deliver, Hazard limped out of the 2-1 loss and Mourinho was sacked within days.
The Belgian is back on-form this season however, and spoke well of Conte following Chelsea’s dominant win over Burnley. Hazard praised the Italian’s impact at Stamford Bridge, and cited Conte’s successful playing career as a factor in his ability to relate to his players, and motivate the squad.
“He’s tried to give us confidence,” Hazard told Chelsea TV.
“He knows players because he used to be one. We had one bad season but we are trying to do better. He tries to motivate us and we are giving everything.
“He told me to sometimes to go inside, sometimes to stay wide and open up the game. He wants me to score some goals and make a difference.”
This could easily be read as something of a dig at his former manager. Mourinho played at a semi-professional level, before turning his attention to coaching in his early 20s. Whereas Conte had a distinguished career as a player for Juventus and the Italian national team.
Hazard also wouldn’t be the first former Mourinho player to take a pop at his playing career.
After Mourinho blamed Sergio Ramos for a goal Real Madrid conceded against Barcelona, the Spanish defender reportedly said:
“You wouldn’t know about switching marking responsibilities on the pitch because you were never a player.”
However, it’s fair to say the Manchester United manager has had a decent managerial career, despite his lack of playing experience. While plenty of brilliant players have made terrible managers.
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