How can Chelsea fans be asked to support these surly, unfit, out of form prima donnas after Jose Mourinho’s sacking?

Jose Mourinho was sacked after Chelsea lost nine of their first 16 games
The players let their manager down after winning the Premier League title
Fans will find it hard to support a squad which lacks hunger and desire
Mourinho deserved time to turn things around despite making mistakes
CHELSEA FAN’S VIEW: Chelsea have blown their future by sacking Jose

Charlie Skillen for the Daily Mail

Published:
22:31 GMT, 17 December 2015

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Updated:
03:23 GMT, 18 December 2015

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Saturday will be the most depressing day at Stamford Bridge since Rafa Benitez took charge of Chelsea for the first time. Supporters were furious at the club and I expect much of the same.

How can the crowd possibly be asked to get behind these players?

These are the surly, unfit, out of form prima donnas that have let down a manager who has won Chelsea three league titles – an unthinkable haul for most Blues fans growing up.

Branislav Ivanovic (centre) trains alongside his Chelsea team-mates at Cobham on Thursday morning

Jose Mourinho leads Thursday’s session, just hours before being sacked by the Premier League champions

Chelsea skipper John Terry (left) and striker Diego Costa stretch as they prepare to face Sunderland

The final whistle of the defeat at Leicester saw all but three players dart straight down the tunnel without a glance towards the 3,000 travelling fans on a Monday night.

It sums up a large portion of the squad’s attitude towards their poor performances, their supporters and the club as a whole.

Mourinho made a huge number of poor decisions on and off the pitch. A manager without his pedigree would have – rightly – gone months ago.

He oversaw an embarrassing nine defeats, his handling of Eva Carneiro dragged the club through the mud and his refusal to play Chelsea’s host of talented youngsters was baffling.

Costa (left) and Oscar look dejected during Monday’s 2-1 defeat by Leicester at the King Power Stadium

A man believed to be Mourinho is driven away from Chelsea’s training ground on Thursday afternoon

John Obi Mikel, Pedro and Willian (left to right) take part in a training drill as they prepare to face Sunderland

Something had to change. Unfortunately it’s far easier to get rid of a manager than it is several multi-million pound stars. For his faults, Mourinho was owed time.

Chelsea have been able to get away with firing managers at will due to the winning mentality of the likes of Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba.

Diego Costa, Cesc Fabregas, Eden Hazard et al haven’t shown a fraction of that hunger.

They clearly weren’t at home with Mourinho and they’re rid of him. Now they have a huge amount to answer for.