What motivates a player at the highest level? Is is the will to win? A drive to prove others wrong and succeed? Is it the money and fame that comes with success? Or is it just the competitive nature that these men have? At Chelsea FC and at any club managed by Jose Mourinho, it is the spirit of competition that keeps these players on their toes and motivated to work hard every day.
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Filipe Luis was brought in from Atletico Madrid to give Cesar Azpilicueta some competition at left back and he has done so and made Chelsea FC a better team in the process. By challenging Azpilicueta the way that Cesar challenged Ashley Cole for his place in the team, Luis has helped himself and his competition improve their games. Even though Azpilicueta has not been playing as well as he did last season due to injury setbacks, he has not been given a chance to rest on his laurels and become complacent with his place in the team.
Cesar Azpilicueta on competition for places within Chelsea FC:
"If you ask every player in every team, they are going to say they want to play and when you do not play, obviously you are not as happy as when you do play.This is football, everyone wants to play and fight and after, I think the team is better and this is the most important thing. When I watch a game, I am more focused on the players playing in my position because sometimes you see that I can do better and I try to learn."
Jose Mourinho has shown time and time again that he is running a meritocracy in his teams. The famous decision to start Diego Lopez over Iker Casillas was widely derided as Mourinho trying to stir up trouble in the Madrid locker room but Lopez played very well that season. Since then, Casillas has been terribly inconsistent for both Spain and Real and should be worried about losing his place in both teams after some high profile errors.
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Unfortunately some managers do not have the clout to challenge their players the way Mourinho does. He also benched long term incumbent and one time best left back in the world Ashley Cole in favor of Azpilicueta last season. Cesar was playing at such a high level that Mourinho could not keep him on the bench even if that meant benching one of his old soldiers.
The nature of football is competition and that should extend from matches all the way to training sessions and places in the team. The best way to keep those starters sharp is to make sure they know that if they are not up to snuff that they can and will be replaced by someone better.
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