Jose Mourinho’s recent comments about the Cameroon striker seem to have cast his future in doubt.
The Chelsea manager was caught offside by a reporter who secretly recorded Mourinho criticising all of his strike force, but Samuel Eto’o came in for particular criticism. During the light hearted interview Mourinho was heard suggesting
“The problem with Chelsea is we lack a scorer. I have one [Eto’o] but he’s 32. Maybe 35, who knows?”
Mourinho went on to describe the French media as a disgrace for recording the off the record conversation, suggesting that he was completely unaware he was being recorded. Despite these comments Mourinho maintains that Eto’o doesn’t have a problem with the Chelsea boss and he said.
“First of all because I don’t make fun. Secondly, because if there are managers in the world who really defend their players, I’m obviously one of them. And thirdly because Samuel Eto’o is Samuel Eto’o. He’s four times a Champions League winner: people think three times, but one in Real Madrid, two in Barcelona and one with Inter.”
“It was with him that I had the best ever season of my career. He’s one of the few players who is working with me at a second different club, and a manager doesn’t do that if he doesn’t like the player or the person. He has no reason to be upset.”
“Also, he told a few years ago, that Mourinho is the only manager in the world who I would never play for, and after a year he was playing with me at Inter and now here.”
“There is no story. No story. I repeat: it was a funny conversation between me and somebody who doesn’t belong to the football world. We were laughing. I think it’s a disgrace that someone is taping and recording a private conversation when, obviously, we don’t know.”
Despite Mourinho’s denial of a breakdown in relations, this does further highlight a problem area for Chelsea.
However if Mourinho’s initial comments struck a nerve with the former Barcelona hitman, Jose’s explanation for Eto’o’s absence from the Fulham game will be as much of a hammer blow.
They are sure to demoralise and make the Cameroon striker’s position at the club all but untenable.
“You see, Eto’o scores goals – but at home. He scores in the league, in the Champions league but all of them at home.I think playing away is more difficult for him. I think he is our best striker to play at home because of his technique, his movement and his understanding with Eden (Hazard) and Oscar.”
”For me, he is the best to play at home. Away he is showing some difficulties so we made that decision to start with Fernando and have Demba for the last part of the game.”
One thing is for certain, expect a striker or two to be top of Mourinho’s wish list come the summer. With the likes of Falcao, Cavani and a possible return for Lukaku, Eto’o could well find himself out in the cold at the ripe old age of 32 or was it 35?!
