Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has revealed that he will select his team based on how his players perform in training.

Mourinho made several controversial decisions during his final season with Real Madrid, including dropping long-standing goalkeeper Iker Casillas to the bench, and the Portuguese coach has insisted that he will not change his strategy upon his return to Stamford Bridge.

The 50-year-old told Punto Pelota: "I am a coach who looks for a meritocracy.

"Whoever I think is best must play, without looking at status or the past. You play as you train. It is a normal situation, as it was normal for me to leave Marco Materazzi, a mythical player at Inter, on the bench.

"Or like Benitez this year at Chelsea with Terry. The fans can think that Iker Casillas is better than Diego Lopez. I accept that, but I am the coach. If there are players who change their 'modus operandi' if they play or not, that is a problem for the player."

Mourinho was appointed as Chelsea's manager earlier this week after his departure from the Bernabeu.