‘Jose Mourinho was…’ – Claude Makelele reveals all about former Chelsea manager’s dual personality

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Jose Mourinho and Claude Makelele were instrumental to Chelsea’s success in the 2000s.

After signing for the Blues in the Summer of 2003, Makelele was joined by Jose Mourinho at Stamford Bridge a year later.

Together, they won Chelsea’s first Premier League titles, Mourinho deploying the Frenchman in front of his back four to such excellent effect that the position would come to be known as the ‘Makelele role’.

And now, Makelele has spoken out on what it was like working with Mourinho at the club.

‘A father and a dictator’ – Claude Makelele on Jose Mourinho

Speaking to the BBC’s Football Daily podcast, Makelele spoke in glowing terms about the current Fenerbache boss.

The 52-year-old said: “[Mourinho] was like a father with a strong character, [like a] dictator. I think he needed to [be like that] because he had young talent [that needed] discipline.”

Makelele added on the Portuguese: “[Mourinho] realised he could get a lot from the group of players. He knew he would make a success [of the team] because he could see the character.”

The Frenchman concluded: “When you have players like this, maybe you will not win straight away, but you will have success and you will win trophies. I think [Mourinho] knew this.”

Having joined the club at the age of 30, Makelele was immediately one of the elder statesmen in the Chelsea squad.

This led the former Real Madrid midfielder to ask his manager for certain games off, with Mourinho revealing Makelele could be difficult to manage as a result.

It took nothing away from their relationship, however, Mourinho adding that Makelele’s ability and experience were amazing to have in his group of players.

Jose Mourinho’s unparalleled success at Chelsea

Mourinho’s fractious personality was undoubtedly a factor in his leaving the club twice.

Despite fallings out behind the scenes, however, the 52-year-old’s record at Stamford Bridge speaks for itself.

He won the top flight in both of his first two seasons in England. In the first of these successes, the 2004/05 campaign, Chelsea only conceded 15 goals, a Premier League record that is unlikely to be beaten any time soon.

There was also success in the domestic cup competitions, Chelsea winning the League Cup in 2004/05 and both the League Cup and the FA Cup in 2006/07.

Further success followed after Mourinho returned to Chelsea in 2013, winning the Premier League and League Cup double in the 2014/15 season.

Despite managing some of the Blues’ closest rivals, Mourinho’s record is why he should go down as a Chelsea legend and be considered as the club’s greatest manager ever, as well as one of the best to have done it in the Premier League.