John Terry says Jose Mourinho is still special to Chelsea's fans

John Terry has paid tribute to Jose Mourinho and revealed that he is still in contact with the former Chelsea manager.

Real Madrid boss Mourinho has been heavily linked with a move back to Stamford Bridge in the summer after recently hinting that he wanted to return to the club, although no decision on his future has yet been made.

It has been almost six years since Mourinho's hugely successful spell at Chelsea came to an end, but Terry says many of the players have remained friends with the Portuguese.
"We send each other text messages and wish each other good luck," said Terry.

"He's interested in our results and in everything that happens at the club. And he's not only in contact with me but also with Frank Lampard and other players.

"Jose has a great relationship with our fans as we won the Premier League and other titles with him. They have clearly shown he is the man they want after everything he won and, for them, he is still the Special One.

"I can't say too much because he is still under contract with Real Madrid, where he's been winning trophies and now has the chance to win the Copa del Rey this season.

"But he's a top manager who I really enjoyed working under.

"He always thought about the whole squad, not just the starting 11. He explained things to you and demanded everything from you even when you weren't playing.
"We worked hard and you could also talk to him about personal problems. He was a friend and we were all sad when he left."

Demba Ba only arrived at Chelsea from Newcastle United in January but he has noticed the affection that his team-mates still have for Mourinho, and says they are keen for him to return.

"The players at Chelsea are all talking about the situation and telling stories about when Jose was at the club before," said the striker.

"They are fans of his and love him as a person and as a coach. He is still greatly appreciated here."