Mourinho Warns 'Second Choice' Players

[Folami David]

Jose Mourinho has warned players that being "second choice" at their club could damage their prospects of playing at the World Cup next summer.
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The Chelsea manager was speaking two days after Manchester United rejected a bid from the Blues for Wayne Rooney.
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The England forward, 27, was angered by a suggestion he could be back-up to Robin van Persie at Old Trafford.
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"For a player to be selected for his country, normally he must be first choice at his club," Mourinho said.
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The Portuguese was talking at a news conference in Kuala Lumpur where Chelsea officials had told journalists he would not be answering questions about the failed Rooney bid.
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But he was happy to discuss how he could motivate his team with the World Cup a year away and was keen to stress a player needed regular football to be certain of a starting place in Brazil 2014.
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"He must play very regularly with the club and I think that's the big motivation if they are thinking about the World Cup," Mourinho added.
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"So any player that wants to go to the World Cup, if they are a second choice in their club, they are in trouble... they are in trouble.
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"So I think this is a crucial year for that and probably many national team coaches are worried because they want their players to play regularly in their teams."
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The former Real Madrid manager confirmed on Wednesday that Rooney was his only transfer target this summer.
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There has been increased speculation about the striker's future this week after Manchester United manager David Moyes appeared to suggest he would be back-up to van Persie.
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The Scot said Rooney "had a major role to play", but added: "Overall, my thought on Wayne is that if for any reason we had an injury to Robin van Persie we are going to need him. I want as many options as possible."
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Rooney started 31 games for Manchester United last season and was used as a substitute six times - including being demoted to the bench for the Old Trafford defeat by Real Madrid in March that knocked his team out of the Champions League.
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The 16 goals he scored for the club in 2012-13 took his tally to 197 in 402 games.