Saturday 3 October 2015 17:41, UK
Jose Mourinho has described Chelsea's poor start to the Premier League season as "the worst period" in his career.
The champions currently occupy 14th spot after taking just eight points from their opening seven Premier League matches.
The Blues followed up last weekend's 2-2 draw away at Newcastle with a midweek Champions League defeat to Porto and Mourinho has said the start to the season represents the worst results of his managerial career.
"I define it as the worst period of my career, with the worst results in my career," he said.
"I get it as a fantastic experience - an experience that I don't want to repeat - I want to finish tomorrow and win some matches again.
"I think it comes too late, to come after 15 years. It should have come after two, three or four years, but it's something that is helping me to be better, a great experience.
"I call it a great negative experience.
"It is not the hardest challenge, but it's the worst results. I had big challenges all the time. I've never lost so many matches. That's a fact.
"I like to be under pressure when top of the league with the second team one point behind. I don't like where we are but I cope well with it. I want the next match - I want to play."
The Chelsea boss also insisted that he did not find it difficult to leave John Terry out of the side and was happy to hear the Blues fans sing in support of the skipper after he was not selected against Porto.
"Fans can sing and I'm happy they sing and I'm happy they support John," Mourinho added.
"He's ready every game to play, even the ones I leave him on the bench, he's ready to play."
Mourinho, who was speaking ahead of his side's home fixture against Southampton, said there is good communication within the squad and insisted the players who made big mistakes against Porto know what they did and it has already been discussed.
He reacted angrily to suggestions in the morning newspapers that his players were unhappy with his methods.
He said: "In here we speak openly. We criticise people without any kind of problems and no prima donnas crying. I don't have prima donnas.
"When you make a mistake you have to speak about it. You know what I call that in football? Coaching.
"If the coach cannot coach, go to a newspaper where nobody criticises anybody. Not all newspapers I believe, but one especially."
Despite his shaky start to the season, Mourinho is adamant that Branislav Ivanovic is his best right back and revealed the pair have discussed some of the mistakes the defender has made during the campaign.
"Ivanovic likes to speak with me and about his mistakes," Mourinho said. "He is not crying, he is not a prima donna. I am critical with him and speak with him about what he has to improve.
"I have no doubts he is my best right back and no doubts he has to improve in some aspects of his game this season. Simple as that."
The Blues boss also refused to comment on the Dr Eva Carneiro issue, but did say that his time to speak "would arrive".
"For the past two months I didn't open my mouth and I am going to keep it like that. One day I will speak and I will choose a day," he said.
"I am quiet about it for a long time. I read, I listen and watch and am quiet. My time to speak will arrive when I
decide."
Mourinho also confirmed that the club are looking into the possibility of bringing another goalkeeper into the squad as cover, with Italian Marco Amelia training with the team.
"We will try. We have in this moment Marco Amelia working with us for a couple of days," he said.
"He is an experienced keeper. He knows what a big club is and the responsibility. He has played Champions League and the national team.
"We need some stability until Courtois is back. Maybe he can give us that."
Watch Chelsea v Southampton from 5pm live on Sky Sports 1 on Saturday, October 3.
