Jose Mourinho:"Players Are Coaches True Judges, No Story When They Support Them"

Chelsea manager, Jose Mourinho, thinks the players are the best judges of coaches’ character and performance.

Mourinho’s comments were made on the backdrop of the row over England manager Roy Hodgson’s comments following the ‘Three Lions’s’ success in securing a 2014 World Cup berth.

Hodgson was criticised for referring to a joke about a monkey and an astronaut at half-time in Tuesday’s 2014 World Cup qualifier 2-0 win over Poland at Wembley Stadium.

Hodgson was believed to have referenced the joke while trying to explain to Manchester United right-back Chris Smalling that he needed to pass the ball to Tottenham Hotspur winger Andros Townsend more.

Anti-racism campaigners, Kick It Out earlier called for an investigation into Hodgson’s comments but, after the Football Association (FA) confirmed it had not received any complaint from the England players, it considered the matter closed.

Despite a letter of complaint from a pressure group being sent to the FA demanding that the England boss attend a ‘race appreciation’ training course after the details of the joke were made public, Hodgson has received support from his players and club managers like, Arsene Wenger and David Moyes.

Winger Townsend, who was at the centre-stage of the joke story said he took it as a compliment and expects the fuss to be about England’s qualification and not “negative, silly news.”

Jose Mounrinho Passes Instructions at Chelsea’s Cobham Training Facility.

“I think the best judges are the players so when the players come out and support the manager- when the kid involved in the situation comes out in support- there’s no story,” Mourinho said at his pre-game conference.

“He (Hodgson) is a man, a good man with principles. He has my support because I don’t believe he was wishing to hurt somebody.”

Meanwhile, the Chelsea boss is willing to discuss the long-term future of the England team with the FA chairman Greg Dyke and offer his opinion on how the team can best compete for the World Cup trophy in Brazil next summer.

“If they want to speak with me I will give them my opinion,” Mourinho told the Guardian.

“If you concentrate on the here and now- not on the future in three or four years’ time- on the group of players at Roy Hodgson’s disposal to play at the World cup, then England have more than enough.”

“If you ask my opinion, when people say England are struggling I disagree completely,” Mourinho explained at his pre-match conference.

“The players don’t play in the second division teams, or football’s third world, they all play for Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Everton. They play in the best leagues for the best clubs and there are quality players on the bench.

“England has good players.”

Ashley Cole, who is still struggling with the rib injury that caused him to miss England’s World Cup qualifiers, is likely to miss out of Chelsea’s home game against Cardiff on Saturday, with the trio of Fernando Torres, Demba Ba and Samuel Eto’O all available for selection.