Chelsea players must share blame for Jose Mourinho exit, says Steve Holland

By Allan Valente

Image: Jose Mourinho was sacked by Chelsea last week

Chelsea coach Steve Holland says players and staff must shoulder "collective responsibility" for Jose Mourinho's sacking as they fight for a respectable Premier League finish.

Interim boss Guus Hiddink watched the Blues get back to winning ways on Saturday as they beat Sunderland 3-1, but the likes of Cesc Fabregas and Diego Costa were heavily booed and, along with Eden Hazard, were dubbed "rats" by one fan's banner at Stamford Bridge.

Image: Chelsea assistant coach Steve Holland

The Dutchman, who won the FA Cup during his first short-term spell at the club in 2009, will now pick up the pieces of the post-Mourinho fallout, but Holland has challenged Chelsea's players to fight their way out of their current predicament.

"If you stand and are photographed will all the trophies last season you have to stand by the troubles this season," Holland told Chelsea TV.

Image: Fabregas, Costa and Eden Hazard, who did not play, took the brunt of this fans' criticism

"I'm not one for attaching myself to success but detaching myself from failure, or from disappointment.

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"That's the way everyone has to look at it, you can't have it both ways - so I think collective responsibility is the key phrase here.

Image: Chelsea's Pedro (R) celebrates with Oscar (C) and Cesc Fabregas

"Once the second goal went in you could see the effect that had on them, and there were some signs of confidence coming back. So it was a very important win."

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Mourinho's second Stamford Bridge stint ended last week, seven months after winning the Premier League title - but also following nine defeats in 16 league games this term.

Image: Chelsea's new interim manager Guus Hiddink (L) and former player Didier Drogba

Didier Drogba sat alongside owner Roman Abramovich and new boss Hiddink for the Sunderland win, but Chelsea say their former striker will not be joining the club's backroom staff.

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