Keeping faith

Jose Mourinho has spoken further about what he has already described as a ‘great problem’ regarding team selection for the first game of the season on Monday. The manager is yet to reveal who will be between the posts when Chelsea kick off against Burnley but in the build-up to the
game he has emphasised the choice between Petr Cech and Thibaut Courtois is entirely his.
He has also explained he is not considering rotating the selection between different competitions, for instance playing one in the league and one in Europe.
‘This club is completely correct, this club knows what the manager is and which are the manager’s items in his job profile, and team selection is my responsibility,’ Mourinho said.
‘So my decision will be a lonely decision. I'm going to decide based on many factors obviously.
‘My number one choice will be my number one; not forever obviously because I cannot kill competition, I cannot close the door for somebody to get into the team.
‘I cannot give any player a guarantee, not even a goalkeeper that he is in the first team forever
if he doesn't perform. Obviously you don't change a keeper if he makes a mistake but you can change him if he makes five mistakes.
What is my first choice today might not be my first choice tomorrow, it depends on performance, but if the goalkeeper gives stability to the team, I don't feel the reason to
change or to play one in one competition and one in another competition.’
Explaining how he will give support to whoever is not his initial choice, Mourinho recalled his first spell at Chelsea when he had to decide
between Cech and another quality keeper in Carlo Cudicini.
‘To support him is not to give him a Capital One Cup game. It is to show him my trust when nobody is expecting he plays. ‘I remember I did that when I played Cudicini
against Betis in the Champions League in the first game of the group, not in the sixth when we were qualified. I played also him in one
league match when we were not yet
champions. The best way to show a player that you trust him is to play him when nobody expects it and in games with responsibilities, and with these two [current] goalkeepers I can do that when I want.’
Mourinho has also given an update on the fitness of Didier Drogba who is recovering from an ankle injury. Speaking to Chelsea TV, he said:‘I think he can play Monday, I cannot say now yes for sure, but normally I think he will.’

Source: Chelseafc.com