The Telegraph reports Pinto da Costa told the Gazetta Dello Sport that Mourinho keeps in regular contact with his former players, and it could be one reason behind the club’s struggles.
“He’s [Villas-Boas] doing well, he qualified for the Champions League last 16 and he’s in all the competitions,” Pinto da Costa said. “He will be successful with Chelsea because his contract isn’t just for one year.
“He needs time to mould his own team and he can’t do that as long as there are players, as I’ve heard, who exchange text messages with Mourinho. And [Roman] Abramovich [the Chelsea owner] knows this.”
Crisis talk has returned to fifth-place Chelsea in recent week. The Blues have won two of their last 10 Premier League games, and there are reports of a dressing room that is nearing mutiny.
The Mirror reports a heated clash between Villas-Boas and players took place in front of Abramovich on Sunday. The Russian spent nearly every day last week at the club’s practice facility (something he rarely ever does), and witnessed the shouting match. He backed the first-year manager in front of the team, but many think Chelsea must secure a place in next season’s UEFA Champions League to maintain that support.
Villas-Boas was hired from FC Porto last summer with the task of leading a transition to a new era. But the likes of John Terry, Frank Lampard, Ashley Cole, Petr Chec and Didier Drogba remain highly influential inside the dressing room.
Mourinho managed Chelsea from 2004-07, winning two Premier League titles and turning the club into a force in English and European soccer. Those senior players played key roles on those teams.
Pinto da Costa worked with both Mourinho and Villas-Boas at FC Porto.
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