Terry lost his self-esteem, now I'm battling to lift him back up... and why I love the 'f*** off Mourinho' chants.

Jose Mourinho has revealed how John Terry lost his 'self-esteem' - and that he faces a battle to bring the Chelsea captain back to the top again.
In an interview with The Guardian, he also tells how he loves hearing the 'f*** off, Mourinho' chant that is a fixture at every ground he enters.
Terry has been involved in a series of controversies on and off the pitch in recent seasons, most recently his four-match ban for racially abusing Anton Ferdinand.

Recovery: Jose Mourinho says John Terry (right) is starting to get back his self-esteem

The 32-year-old also lost his place at centre-back last season under previous manager Rafa Benitez, who is Mourinho's arch enemy, and who failed to win over the majority of fans.
Now Mourinho has provided a fascinating insight into the Chelsea defender as he bids to help him back to his best.
He told The Guardian: '[Terry's] recovering his self-esteem.
'In the last few years he was not playing a lot, he had problems on the pitch, he had problems outside the pitch, he had suspensions for different reasons, he had injuries, he had managers who didn't trust him enough. And it looked like, at a certain moment, his career was going in the wrong direction.

Last time around: Mourinho and Terry (right) with the Premier League trophy back in 2005

Race row: Terry was accused of abusing Anton Ferdinand (second left) and was hit with a four-game ban

Dropped: Terry struggled with fitness and was often benched by interim manager Rafa Benitez

'Even I was questioning, from far away, what was happening to this guy - physical problems, psychological problems, what is going on?
'I'm happy he's proving he's still a top player. He plays in a position where age doesn't make a huge difference. John is proving his quality. With what he did at Chelsea in the last decade, I think he deserves to be back on track.'

Say cheese: Mourinho poses at a photo shoot for Porsche, for whom he is a brand ambassador

Mourinho also revealed how he loves facing jibes from rival fans on his way to challenging for trophies.
He was a controversial character during his first stint at Chelsea, often angering the opposition with his behaviour on the touchline and in front of the media.
Since his return, he has again regularly heard the 'f*** off, Mourinho' chant aimed in his direction.
But Mourinho has revealed that he loves the attention, which he describes as 'pure hostility'.

In focus: Mourinho and a fan pose for the camera at the Porsche photo shoot at the adidas Bond Street store

Taking his pick: Mourinho browses some jackets while at the Porsche design photo shoot

He told the Guardian: 'I enjoy playing at home, feeling the Chelsea fans' passion, that they are happy to have me on their side; but I also enjoy playing away and feeling the opponents support their own team, giving me that hostility.

'It's a pure hostility. It's not aggressive. If Chelsea fans at Norwich are singing: 'Jose Mourinho', and the other guys sing 'f*** off Mourinho', I don't think it's aggressive hostility.
'It's better than them ignoring me. If, one day, I was Norwich manager, they'd be singing my name too. It's pure.
'Here, even the hostility is different. More tongue in cheek. When I'm not winning I'm "not special any more". I understand that and I like it.'

Confident: Mourinho believes he can get the former England captain back on track