Mourinho: Chelsea Can Make Top Four Without Cleaning The Dressing Room

Strong words from Jose Mourinho, who insists Chelsea can still make the top four, despite their poor start and without cleaning the dressing room.

Chelsea have suffered a major blow to their title defence with a poor start to the league, with the holders at 16th on the log with 11 points.

There has been talk of Mourinho wanting to clear the Chelsea dressing room, but now the Portuguese says that is not the case.

“Yes, I’m confident we can get into the top four,” the former Inter and Real Madrid boss told reporters on Friday. “I will not ask for any change from the board in January.

“I’m happy with the players, I’m good with the players. I don’t need to ‘clean’ the dressing room, like some people are saying, I don’t need to ask the club to buy players in January.”

“We were champions four months ago, not four years ago or 10 years ago,” he added. “The manager is the same, the players are basically the same.

“Nobody gives me a four year contract four months ago if they don’t trust the person. Nobody gives new contracts to players like we did with them if we didn’t trust them. There is trust and there are reasons for that.

“But obviously the power is in the hands of the owner and the board. They show they trust us, now it’s time for us to give a positive answer. I think we are giving it but not in the results.

“The owner, the board and the supporters deserve a good period. But even more than them the players and me deserve a good moment, I believe it will arrive.

“Lots of matches are coming now, four months with national teams, four months with three of the most beautiful competitions to play. Lots of matches. The situation is good in the squad.”