Premier League

Candid Mourinho: ‘My strikers can’t score’

FILE - Jose Mourinho to leave Real Madrid At End of SeasonChelsea boss Jose Mourinho is reported to be furious at being caught on camera in an honest exchange about his strikers.

Mourinho was caught in conversation with the boss of Swiss watch-makers Hublot, explaining that Chelsea did not have anyone to score goals. The conversation was recorded by French broadcasters Canal+ in Switzerland on February 17 and appeared as a video clip on their website. It has since been removed but Mourinho’s words had already been well circulated, much to his embarrassment

‘The problem with Chelsea is I lack a scorer,’ said Mourinho, speaking in French. ‘I have Eto’o but he is 32 years old, maybe 35, who knows?’

On Falcao, signed from Porto for £50million last year and understood to be among Chelsea’s top targets, he added:

‘I need a striker. Falcao needs a club. A player like him cannot play in front of 3,000 people. Monaco is a club to end (your career with).’

The inference is clear from Mourinho that he feels that the lack of scoring power from Eto’o, Fernando Torres and Demba Ba could well cost Chelsea both the Premier League and the Champions League this season.

It is also clear that Mourinho will go in heavily for Falcao this summer, but it makes you wonder why Chelsea did not sign him last year when Atletico offered him to the Blues.

After having Cristano Ronaldo scoring goals at will over the last three seasons it must be a difficult adjustment for the Special One to go fro Ronaldo to Eto’o, Torres and Ba.