Mou: Keeper quandary a good problem

15 August 2014 01:01

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho is ready to 'think in a pragmatic, cold way' to keep 'two of the best three goalkeepers in the world' happy this season.

Mourinho hailed rivals Thibaut Courtois and Petr Cech as the envy of the Barclays Premier League, but admitted he must "hide the emotions" in his selection conundrum.

And the Portuguese, whose side launch their new season at promoted Burnley on Monday night, acknowledged he will have his work cut out to appease both his front-line stoppers.

"In my opinion, with all the respect to fantastic keepers around the world, with all my respect, I think Chelsea has two of the best three goalkeepers in the world," the Blues boss said.

"And this is something unique.

"So is it a problem for me? It's a great problem.

"Because they are both fantastic goalkeepers. Even (third choice keeper Mark) Schwarzer - a different age and level at this moment - even he is a very good goalkeeper.

"So to have Peter and Courtois is a good problem - one that every manager in every club would like to have."

Courtois excelled on loan at Atletico Madrid last term before starring for Belgium at the World Cup over the summer.

Mourinho will keep his two goalkeepers guessing as to who will start at Turf Moor, but also vowed to use both as equally as possible throughout the campaign.

"I don't tell you because they don't know - the team doesn't know," Mourinho said regarding his selection for Monday's match.

"I think it's not easy (to keep both happy). I don't think any manager is happy to see one player not in a very happy and comfortable situation.

"Only in that perspective it's not easy for me, because I like to see happy people.

"I'm not happy to see when other people are not very happy.

"And I can understand that for top goalkeepers that could play in every club in the world, here, one of them is going to be on the bench, and that's a difficult situation.

"For Chelsea Football Club, it's a great situation, and for me as a manager, thinking in a pragmatic way about my job, it's to think about having the best goalkeeper on the field.

"It's a very safe and comfortable situation for us."

Mourinho continued: "They are working well and hard, and we are so happy to have them both. I prefer to analyse this thing in that perspective.

"During the season if one is definitely my first choice, obviously at the end of the season I'd have to support and stimulate the other one.

"I cannot have one of the incredible goalkeepers on the bench for three or four months waiting for a game.

"I have to stimulate the competition, and I have to praise some top goalkeeper that is not my first choice.

"The best way for me is to think in a pragmatic, cold way, forget a little bit, or try to hide the emotions around this situation, and just decide what is best for the team and the club."

A host of European clubs are rumoured to be preparing bids for Cech if he loses immediate ground to Courtois at the start of the new campaign.

Mourinho refused to consider the hypothetical possibility of either man leaving.

"If there is no offer there is no possibility," he said.

"I am not waiting for anything. It is not good to analyse anything that's not on the table."

Source: PA