“Whoever I think is best must play” – Mourinho hints at keeping Terry on the bench

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho, has given a hint that that he could keep club captain John Terry on the bench, just like he did with Iker Casillas at Real Madrid....

The Portuguese, who returns to Stamford Bridge after seven years, has been reunited with former players like Terry, Frank Lampard, Ashley Cole, Petr Cech and Michael Essien. However, in his interview with Chelsea TV, Mourinho talked aboout giving youth a chance, a move that could keep some of the veterans out of the team.

"I am a coach who looks for a meritocracy," Mourinho told Punto Pelota. "Whoever I think is best must play. Without looking at status or the past. You play as you train. It is a normal situation. As it was normal for me to leave [Marco] Materazzi, a mythical player at Inter, on the bench. Or like Benitez this year at Chelsea with Terry.
"The fans can think that Iker is better than Diego [Lopez]. I accept that, but I am the coach. If there are players who change their 'modus operandi' if they play or not, that is a problem for the player."
The 50-year-old also insisted that he handled the Real Madrid dressing room well and the new coach will find it easy to deal with the players.
"The coach who comes in will find themselves in a different situation from the one I faced," he said. "Now we are psychologically on top of our biggest rival. Also the president will make two good signings.