Mourinho's first game in charge of Chelsea and all he could do was talk about ME...it all went downhill from there!

Beattie recalls creating a stir Stateside for the Bhoys with a brace that impressed Special One

- FRASER WILSON

CRAIG BEATTIE recalls Jose Mourinho bigging him up after his first game as Chelsea boss when the striker slammed a double past his all-star Blues side in Seattle.

But even though he went on to score against Liverpool and Manchester United for a Premier League hat-trick on that 2004 US tour Beattie admits it still never felt particularly like a Special One.

Playing top-class opposition was the norm for Martin O’Neill’s side back then according to the former Parkhead hitman.

And that’s the mindset he insists Brendan Rodgers’ players need two decades later as they return to the States to ramp up their preparations ahead of a huge campaign at home and abroad.

Chelsea are back on the agenda next week to round off a tripleheader of glamour games across the Atlantic kicking off with DC United on Sunday and Manchester City next Wednesday.

And Beattie reckons it’s exactly the type of challenge needed to get the Hoops in the groove.

Recalling his hot streak on that 2004 trip when he left John Terry and Robert Huth in his wake to net twice against the Blues, he said: “Yeah, it all went downhill after that!

“It was Jose Mourinho’s first game in charge of Chelsea, we lost 4-2 and I scored the two goals.

“Most of Mourinho’s press conference he spoke about me because I’d scored twice.

“ They had Arjen Robben making his debut but Mourinho was speaking about me.