Kurt Zouma has told a brilliant story of just how blunt Jose Mourinho was with him.
Mourinho signed the Frenchman as a youngster from Saint-Etienne and just as he was beginning to make strides into the first-team, the former Chelsea boss criticised him in the most frank way possible a day after a game.
And while some might deem it to be a weird way to motivate a player, it appeared to do the trick for Zouma.
"I cannot remember which match we were playing, we were losing 3-1, away from home," Zouma told RMC Sport .
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"The following day, he [Mourinho] catches up with me, he takes me to his office, and he asks me if I am ok. I said yes, he asked me if I was sure.
"I said yes again, he replied 'Because you were rubbish this weekend.' Like that, direct. It shocked me, but it made me want to immediately respond on the pitch.
"I remember that it hurt me, that it affected me. But I really wanted to show him that I could react."
There have been mixed opinions on Mourinho's management style but despite Mourinho's blunt comments to him, he rejects the notion that he doesn't play young players.
"He is someone who loves victory. He uses all the tools possible to achieve it," Zouma added, as per Goal.
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"I came here at 19 and he played me. I was able to have my chances, I played my matches.
"I don't know what other people think, we all have different opinions, but from my side, I don't really agree [with the idea that Mourinho does not give young players a chance]."
Featured Image Credit:Topics: Football News, Jose Mourinho, Chelsea, Football, Kurt Zouma