Jose Mourinho insists his Chelsea squad accept his hardline approach to team selection and only one player has ever knocked on his door asking for an explanation.

The Blues have intense competition for places at Stamford Bridge this season and the Special One has had the difficult job of choosing between his superstars.

Thibaut Courtois and Petr Cech both have valid claims to play between the sticks while Cesar Azpilicueta and Filipe Luis are fighting for the left-back spot.

Mourinho admits it isn’t easy to select his starting XIs these days as he prepares to pick his Chelsea team to face Stoke City at the Britannia Stadium on Monday night.

The Portuguese tactician says the players respect his decision even if they might not be happy with it and only once has he had his judgement questioned.

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Mourinho explained: “It's my decision and the players may not be happy with the decision, or not agree with the decision, but they know my decision is not to favour somebody or to punish somebody.

"It's what I think is best for the team at a certain moment. This is the way I do it.

“It's one of the first things I say to a squad at the beginning of the season: I don't give explanations to players unless they ask me for one. If they come to me and ask me to explain, no problem. But, in principle, I don't explain things.

“The rules are from day one. I don't remember if it was here or in Austria, I told them I don't give explanations. I said they could knock on my office door, but I won't do it on my initiative.

"If they ask, I'll explain. I had one who asked, knocking on my door asking why someone else was playing instead of him. I said he was playing better, closed door, goodbye.

Taking notes: Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho with coaches Rui Faria and Steve Holland

“It's the concept of helping the team. The one that comes on in the last five minutes, he's a crucial player. If he makes a mistake the team loses. If he doesn't, the team wins. Everybody wins, everybody loses. You have to know the squad is good at Chelsea.

"If you at Chelsea as a goalkeeper, you can't imagine that you are the only good goalkeeper. The same for strikers. It's impossible. For me, all of this is normal. Very normal.”

It’s a ruthless strategy from Mourinho and one that has brought him much success both this season and in previous ones during an incredible management career.

Some players may suffer under this approach but the boss believes he has a professional group at the Bridge who can work to a high level despite their frustrations.

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Mourinho added: “I don't have a secret of keeping them happy. I think they are unhappy and frustrated, he's right, but the reality is that, to be professional and work at a high level, you don't need to be happy.

"All of them are professionals. The team is more important than themselves. And the club.

"I think everybody has to be ready to sacrifice for the team, to give everything for the team, to think about the team, not to be selfish. This is the way I want a team to be. You didn't speak, for example, about Mikel.

"But the first time he played was Newcastle and he was our best player. How can he be our best player if he didn't play in three months? Because he was working every day at the top level. Sad, frustrated, not happy? Maybe. But professional. That's what I expect from the players.”