Goalkeeper
Asmir Begovic will respect whatever decision Jose Mourinho makes on the
Chelsea starting job when Thibaut Courtois returns to full fitness.
Mourinho expects the Belgian to return "in the first 15 days of December"
after suffering a knee injury against Everton in September.
In his absence Begovic has stepped into the starting role, and while
collectively results have not been as hoped so far this season, Begovic's
impressive form could mean Courtois' return poses a selection dilemma for
Mourinho.
But it's not something the Bosnia 'keeper is contemplating at this stage,
with an important game against Tottenham on the horizon.
"I don't think about it too much, I just take it game by game, my job is to
contribute when I play and to be a good team-mate," Begovic told Sky Sports.
"When Thibaut is back, the manager will have to make a decision and I will
just concentrate on my job and try to play as many games [as possible].
"I leave all that down to the manager, I will respect the decision. I'll
work hard no matter what the circumstances are. I'm a big part of the team,
we've got so many games that you have just got to concentrate on your job
and contribute."
Begovic also feels Chelsea are starting to turn the corner after
back-to-back wins, and clean sheets, against Norwich and Maccabi Tel Aviv.
Mourinho's side remain in the bottom half of the table, but Begovic sees
signs of progress.
"We've been working hard these last few weeks to put that start behind us
and collectively get better, and the last few performances have gone a way
to doing that," Begovic continued. "We're gaining confidence from those
results and we're going to try and keep it going.
"Sometimes in sports and football, things just don't go your way for
different reasons. We believe in what we're doing, we have a great coaching
staff, manager and great players, and we're going to continue believing.
Maybe things will turn around for us and we'll show our capabilities."
The Blues will look to make it three in a row when they visit White Hart
Lane on Sunday, and Begovic admits he's been impressed by Mauricio
Pochettino's team this season. Spurs sit fifth, four points off the top, and
have not lost in the league since the opening day.
"They've had a pretty impressive start, they are a good, young, solid and
energetic team who play very positively," said the goalkeeper. "I've been
very impressed by them and it's a game we're looking forward to.
"You try and do your homework and prepare in a professional way for every
opponent. Harry Kane is growing into a pretty fantastic player, he's done
well over the last couple of years and he's someone we need to look out for
and respect. We need to collectively keep him at bay, and that's what we'll
try and do."
Meticulous preparation is a trait Begovic pinpoints when discussing his boss
too, and the 'keeper believes Mourinho remains the world's best.
"I very much enjoy working for him," Begovic said. "His knowledge and
attention to detail is second to none, and that is what makes him the
world's best. You learn different things from his philosophy and I try to
pick up as much as I can.
"He's the best I've worked with, and even in the short space of time I've
worked with him, you can tell there's a bit of a difference between him and
other managers."
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