Mark Schwarzer remembers the second coming of Jose Mourinho so well.
The Australian keeper was part of the Chelsea squad given a specific brief at the start of the 2014-15 season – to reclaim the Premier League crown.
“Mourinho had arrived the previous year and we finished third in the table,” said Schwarzer.
“Right from the start of the season, I think maybe even in pre-season, he told us that it was going to be very different. He sat us down and said to us: “This year we are going out to win the league.” No messing about. That was the big emphasis and we never really deviated from it.
“That summer he knew exactly what he wanted from the transfer market and he went out and got it. Diego Costa from Atletico Madrid, Cesc Fabregas from Barcelona, and the experience of Didier Drogba on a free. Mourinho was very decisive in the window and he was unequivocal with us.
“We got off to a great start by beating Burnley, Leicester, Everton and Swansea, and we never looked back.”
After leaving Chelsea first time around in 2007, Mourinho worked at Inter Milan and Real Madrid, his latter days in Spain blighted by internal politics.
In a famous interview on his return to London, he nailed his colours firmly to the Stamford Bridge mast.
Mourinho said: “In my career I’ve had two great passions – Inter and Chelsea – and Chelsea is more than important for me. Now I promise exactly the same things I promised in 2004, with this difference to add: I’m one of you.”
In his second season back, Chelsea would not lose in any competition for four months, their first defeat coming at Newcastle on December 6.
“It didn’t really matter, though,” added Schwarzer. “There was such a confidence in that team. Fabregas was was the creative force from midfield, Diego Costa was scoring goals for fun, and the back four had such resilience.”
At one stage, Chelsea fans began to dream that they could complete a clean sweep of trophies but that plan was to unravel in one of the biggest cup shocks of Mourinho’s time at the club.
On January 24 2015, Blues were knocked out of the fourth round of the FA Cup by third-tier Bradford, who beat them 4-2 at Stamford Bridge. Mourinho described the defeat as a “disgrace.”
Six weeks later, Chelsea defeated Tottenham 2–0 in the League Cup final to claim their first trophy of the season, and Mourinho’s first trophy since his return.
But a few days later they were knocked out of the Champions League last 16, losing to Paris Saint-Germain on away goals.
Keeper Schwarzer was signed in 2013 by Mourinho from Fulham after choosing not to extend his contract with the Cottagers.
The 6ft 4in stopper was brought in to provide cover, but the big decision ahead of Chelsea’s season kicking off was who was going to be No.1 – Petr Cech or Thibaut Courtois.
“Cech had obviously done superbly well but Courtois had won the Spanish league with Atletico Madrid and got to the Champions League final as well,” said Schwarzer. “So he didn’t want to come to the Bridge just to sit on the bench.”
Courtois, of course, got the vote.
Schwarzer went on: “I always had a good relationship with Mourinho. He knew how to prepare for games, how to cope with the strategies and challenges that we faced, and it enabled us to win the League comfortably in the end.”
The date is now set in stone.
On May 3, 2015, Chelsea were crowned champions.
Victory over Crystal Palace made them champions with three games to spare. It was Jose’s eighth title-winning season.
It was no surprise when Mourinho was named Premier League Manager Of the Season, with Chelsea losing just three League matches all term.