It turns out there a few more quotes of interest in that Cesc Fabregas interview with The Sun's Rob Beasley form which ESPN ran a few lines. ESPN's story was mostly concerned with how Fabregas came to Chelsea and what was Mourinho's exact role in that process; the remaining quotes are all about Fabregas's impressions of The Special One since arriving back in London.
"People will always see people how they want to see them. When you don't work with him you can only imagine the things he may do. But I always say never judge without knowing. You can have your opinion about someone, but when you see the reality it can be so different. What I really like about him -- and I see it on a daily basis -- is that he is a winner. He loves to win, he loves to train, he loves motivating the players, he doesn't let you breathe when you are training. He always wants you to give your best even in training. It is 'intensity, intensity' from him as we prepare for the games."
"I just love Jose's half-time team talks. Tactically you must do this, you must do that, so you go to the games fully prepared and knowing absolutely what you have to do. This is a very important thing for a player -- that you completely trust your manager. So when you see how he prepares for the game then it happens in the match, it is special. What I also like is what I'm seeing now in his half-time team talks. It's great. What I think we can do better is most of the time what he thinks too. What I feel on the pitch he can feel it too on the sidelines... he reads the game so very, very well."
-Cesc Fabregas; source: The Sun via @sidcelery
Fabregas's experience and words in many ways mirror Samuel Eto'o's, who also famously converted from an outspoken enemy player at a rival to a Mourinho zealot. Whatever it is that Jose's doing to these players, it certainly seems to be working.
I only wish we could get Fabregas to describe Wenger and Guardiola in the same context as well. How is Mourinho different? That would be fun to know.