Mikel's Rusty - Mourinho

Chelsea manager, Jose Mourinho, has passed a damning verdict on Nigeria international, John Mikel Obi, and other Stamford Bridge players that participated in the Brazil Confederations Cup, lamenting that he is match-rusty.

The report on the club’s official web site noted that the Nigerian midfielder was among the six players that participated in the tournament that the Blues boss welcomed back earlier this week, adding that their arrival undoubtedly bolstered the squad.

He, however, said that having been on holiday since the tournament ended at the end of June, they are behind the rest of their teammates in terms of fitness. Mourinho admits that with one eye on our opening Premier League game against Hull on 15 August they need game time, stressing: “It’s more difficult because we have two groups of players. We have a group of players who were in Asia and they need to play more than 45 minutes against really good oppositions like Inter, Real Madrid and Milan, but the other group haven’t started.they are not ready for that. So, it’s not easy.

“Even in training sessions sometimes we have to split the group because the other guys are not ready for the same kind of work, but they also need to play because they have 15 days until the start of the season.

“I will try and give more than 45 minutes to the players who can do it and 45 minutes or less to the other group of six players. I will not be so focused on tactics or results, I will be more focused on trying to get the right conditions to start the season,” he said.

Appraising the pre-season tour, he said that among the players that travelled, only Frank Lampard and Andre Schurrle hadn’t trained, disclosing that both should be back in action soon.

“Frank is recovering but of course we don't want to take risks. Hopefully, he plays this week, I won't say the second match but maybe the third or fourth. Andre is ill, it's as simple as that. He has a temperature after Asia but it's not an injury, he's just ill, after tomorrow he should be back in training," he said.