Johnson blasts Mourinho

Johnson: Could not trust Mourinho

I think I've proved my point as far as Mourinho is concerned. People, even Jose Mourinho, make mistakes.

Glen Johnson
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New Liverpool signing Glen Johnson has suggested he could never trust former boss Jose Mourinho after completing his move to Anfield.

The England full-back recently left Portsmouth in a big-money switch to Merseyside as he returns to a top-four club after quitting Chelsea for Fratton Park, originally on loan, in 2006.

Johnson left Stamford Bridge during the reign of Mourinho, who is now in charge at Inter Milan, and he has accused his ex-boss of failing to keep his word.

The 24-year-old joined Chelsea from West Ham in 2003 as a signing of then Blues manager Claudio Ranieri and he claims he was never given a fair chance under the Italian's successor as new arrival Paulo Ferreira was preferred.

Jettisoned

Johnson points to an incident in the 2004/05 season, Mourinho's first, when he was offered an opportunity to impress before a UEFA Champions League match against Barcelona but was still jettisoned despite performing with aplomb.

"We had a couple of games to play before the Barcelona match. Mourinho picked me for a game and told me in front of five witnesses that if I played well, I would keep the shirt," he told the Sunday Times.

"I immediately told my agent that it didn't matter how well I played, I would be dropped because Mourinho wouldn't want me anywhere near the team for the Barcelona game.

"Sure enough I was voted Man of the Match - and I was dropped from the squad. You would have to ask Mourinho what his reasons were but I know it was because he didn't want to see me play well and be forced to pick me for Barcelona.

"That was the day I knew I had to leave Chelsea. Managers have to stick to their word. You have to be able to trust them.

Time bomb

"I left Chelsea because I had to play football. I got the feeling I was finished there when they signed Ferreira. Mourinho told me that wasn't the case but there were a lot of things he told me that weren't true.

"I remember speaking to my mates and telling them that while I was being paid to play football, playing football was the thing I was doing least in my life.

"Even when I got the odd chance in the first team, I knew even if I scored four goals I'd be out for the next game. That thing kills you as a professional footballer and I suppose I became a bit of a time bomb.

"It gives me a lift when I wonder what Mourinho thinks about what's happened to me since I left Chelsea. He never spoke to me about why I wasn't playing.

"He probably thought I would go to Portsmouth, fade away, disappear and not do anything in the game - and probably 70 per cent of football fans thought the same. I think I've proved my point as far as Mourinho is concerned. People, even Jose Mourinho, make mistakes."