Michael Ballack has spoken of being at Chelsea for Jose Mourinho's first sacking.

Having lost their league crown to Manchester United in Ballack's first season in England, Chelsea fell further behind their rivals at the start of the 2007-08 campaign and Mourinho was gone.

"I was experienced enough to understand," Ballack told Sky Sports. "When you are not winning, the coach is more or less the weakest person in the team who can be replaced.

"The way he worked was so intense that maybe you come to a point where things are not working anymore.

"Even then, the fans know what he achieved at the club to take them back to that level.

"It was more or less everyone's fault - the players' fault. It was not something we regret, though, we had to look forward.

"The relationship is still good with him. You will not find many players who speak badly about him."