Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho says Eden Hazard let him down at Chelsea but insists he has since matured
Belgium playmaker admitted he was unfit to start the 2015-16 season that was to be the Special One's last
JOSE MOURINHO has supported Eden Hazard’s admission that his poor form contributed to his Chelsea sacking in 2015.
In the first season of the Portuguese’s second stint at Stamford Bridge, with the Belgian in blistering form, Chelsea won the Premier League title.
But the wheels came off in the following campaign and the Blues parted ways with the 55-year-old in December.
Ahead of Chelsea hosting United this weekend, Hazard admitted he was not fit to begin their disastrous season
The 27-year-old said: "In 12 years I've only had one bad season, the last six months under Mourinho and it was partly my own fault.
"After the title, we asked Mourinho for extra holidays. I came back totally out of shape.”
And the Old Trafford boss confirmed the playmaker played his part in his eventual downfall before perking up under his replacement.
He told Sky Sports: “He is a good kid, or he was a good kid with me and he is now a good man because three or four years have matured him.
“I think it is a very honest comment, I think he knows how good he is and how much he can influence the history of his team.
“In my first season he was player-of-the-season and we were champions.
“In my second season he was not very good and we were not very good. Then Antonio (Conte) came and he won the title with them.”
Hazard held his hands up in an open and honest interview and revealed he had sent Mourinho an olive branch.
He said: “The last season under Mourinho was not enjoyable. We didn’t win, we got into a sort of routine, training without having fun, it was better for all parties that we parted ways.
"But if I’m asked now about one coach with whom I want to work again, I would say Mourinho.
"I sent him a message to say I was sorry he had gone and that I was sorry.
"We’d enjoyed all that success together, but this time we hadn’t.
I felt a little bit guilty because I’d been player of the year. I’d been one of the most decisive players, and then I performed less.
“I don’t regret many things in my career, but that I have not been able to work with Mourinho at Chelsea anymore is one of them.
"We had a team that could win more trophies. We just ended up in a negative cycle.”