Ex-Chelsea FC player Andre Schurrle has spoken about Jose Mourinho and his departure from Stamford Bridge.
The German midfielder left the Blues in January of this year in a somewhat surprising deal. Schurrle was well-regarded amongst Chelsea fans and the reasons for his deadline move to Wolfsburg were not very well explained.
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In an interview with The Times (via Reuters) Schurrle has now claimed that he needed to leave to further his career, especially since he felt that Jose Mourinho did not believe in him.
"My performances were good… but there was a time in my second season when I felt I didn’t have the manager’s trust any more, and didn’t play many matches from the start."
His words are supported to a degree by the facts. Schurrle joined Chelsea in the summer of 2013 (Mourinho’s first summer back) although the deal had been originally rumoured when Rafa Benitez was still in charge.
The German was initially an important part of the Blues team, making 43 competitive appearances and scoring nine goals in the 2013/14 campaign. However, his playing time significantly diminished last season. Even though he appeared 22 times before his departure in the January transfer window, 10 of these came off the bench.
With his chances of starting seemingly thin, Schurrle made the move to Wolfsburg in search of regular playing time.
"It was up and down the whole time. I didn’t get any consistency from the manager so found it hard to produce my best. That’s probably the biggest reason I wanted to leave."
While it hasn’t turned out to be the worst decision in the world, it is debatable whether it has been that beneficial. Schurrle has continued to make appearances, but many of them are still as a result of being subbed on.
Having said that, when you feel that the manager does not trust you, you are left with little other choice. In that way, it is refreshing to see a youngster take what could be perceived as a step downwards in a bid to receive more first team football.
Chelsea fans were particularly disappointed with his departure, especially since the Blues lost all creativity as the 2014/15 season dragged on. With Kevin De Bruyne’s exit a year earlier, many felt that Mourinho was letting some of the best talents disappear from under his nose. To be fair to the boss, Wolfsburg did come in with an attractive £22million offer and since he saw little use for him, it could be regarded as good business.
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Think about it. Yes, Schurrle was 24 years of age at the time but given that Chelsea forked out around the same amount (perhaps even less) for a Barcelona forward that has won literally everything on Earth, you can understand the club’s decision to sell him.
Unlike De Bruyne, who was believed to be of an arrogant demeanour, Schurrle was a team player and always put in his utmost effort whether it be from the first whistle or from the bench. Consequently, Blues fans have nothing but warm feelings for the German and will be hoping that he fulfills his potential in the future.
Just as long as he doesn’t move to a Premier League club.
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