Former Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic has hailed Jose Mourinho’s skills as a manager, insisting his coaching will “make you fulfil the potential you were not even aware of.”
The Serbian left Stamford Bridge for Zenit during the January transfer window, ending a nine-year spell at the club which included two Premier League titles wins, two FA Cup wins and one triumph apiece in the Champions League and Europa League.
Ivanovic joined Chelsea just four months after Mourinho’s first spell in charge but was a key member of the manager’s first-team squad for the entirety of his second spell and still holds his former coach in high regard.
“They call Mourinho the Special One, and I think he is,” Ivanovic told Sport Express. “If you win, his trust knows no bounds. He will make you fulfil the potential you were not even aware of.
“Training was unique under Mourinho. He sometimes plays mind games with the press, but when it comes to the most important things, the matches themselves, he is always very serious. If you want to play for Mourinho, you have to follow his demands.
“Mourinho helps to develop the best qualities – professional and personal. You can’t be indifferent to him. You either love him or hate him. That’s what makes him special. I am glad that I had a chance to work with him.”
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