I played for Jose Mourinho at Chelsea – he offered me job after injury forced me to retire

Former Chelsea and England defender Wayne Bridge was once offered a job by Jose Mourinho after injury curtailed his career.

A decade has passed since Bridge, 43, hung up his boots prematurely following complications caused by a knee injury. He wasn't short of job offers, however, and Mourinho was partly to thank for that after telling Bridge the left-back could work for him - though it's unclear in what capacity.

The Special One - who has just been hired to manage Turkish giants Fenerbahce - holds a reputation for taking a firm stance with his players over the years. However, Bridge has lifted the lid on Mourinho's softer side.

“Yes, we got on well to be honest," he exclusively told Betfred, when asked about his relationship with Mourinho. "There were hard times, but after I retired he was good to me because I went into Chelsea for treatment after my injuries and he offered me a job.

"During my playing days, there were times when things weren’t going too well, but I turned a corner with him and he put an arm around me and he’d tell me how well I was doing, but then I went and broke my leg. There were good times with him, but there were also times that I found tough, and I don’t know if that was him looking for a reaction from me. But generally, as a manager, he was great and as a person, he’s always been really good to me throughout my career and after.”

The 36-cap former England international spent three years under Mourinho during his first spell at Stamford Bridge. Mourinho, 61, left for new pastures in 2007, two years before Bridge joined Premier League rivals Manchester City.

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He spent four years on the books at the Etihad Stadium, though much of that was spent on loan. Bridge eventually joined Reading in 2013 but played just one more season before finally succumbing to his injuries the following year at 33.

Bridge has delved into the media world since leaving the pitch and appeared on reality shows like 'I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!' and 'SAS: Who Dares Wins'. He also shares two children with his wife Frankie and is a keen poker player in his spare time.

Meanwhile, Mourinho has seen his reputation slide somewhat after his most recent stints with Tottenham and Roma. However, Bridge was quick to defend his former boss against any slander following his move to the Super Lig.

“It’s hard, isn’t it? As a manager, if you always want to be involved, then sometimes you can go into a new job with a new group of players and it can be difficult to work your magic," he continued.

"The players could struggle to put into action the things that you’re asking them to do. You can’t say that going to Turkey is a bad thing because he loves the game of football and he may go there and do a good job.”