It is fair to say that the Blues haven’t had their best start to the season. To some players, José Mourinho was to blame and it is exactly what Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel thinks, according to ESPN.
He believes the squad feels much more relaxed now and is far more happier under the interim manager Guus Hiddink than they were when José Mourinho was in charge.
Speaking after their 5-1 victory over their rivals Manchester City in the FA Cup 5th round, Mikel said:
From day one, since Guus has come in, the atmosphere has changed. The players feel more relaxed, people know what their jobs are and people are getting on with their jobs in a more relaxed way. He doesn’t get into people’s business, he gets on with his own thing and players feel very comfortable.
Players you would expect to score a lot of goals such as Diego Costa and Eden Hazard fell out publicly under Mourinho. The atmosphere in the dressing room was lost but Hiddink might have revived the winning spirit of some players.
Costa scored his 9th goal since Mourinho’s departure and was influential in the victory on Sunday that saw Chelsea advance to the sixth round of the FA Cup, with Hazard also regaining his confidence by scoring his second goal of the campaign.
According to John Obi Mikel, Hiddink played a crucial role in reviving the spirit in the team, he added:
You can see Diego. It takes a lot to get Diego in a good mood. Guus has given responsibility to people and expects them to thrive on it and make sure they do it in way that they feel comfortable. I think that is what the players are showing, now.
Obviously I want him to stay, but it’s the choice of the owner, the club and the board, they will have to decide but if you ask the players, I think 98, 99 percent of them want him to stay. We’re very happy, performing well and let’s hope it continues.
