Former Arsenal and Chelsea midfielder Emmanuel Petit has hit out at Jose Mourinho for his treatment of former club doctor Eva Carneiro.
The medic, along with physiotherapist Jon Fearn, was publicly criticised by Mourinho after providing treatment to Eden Hazard, forcing the Belgian star to leave the field of play late in Chelsea's 2-2 draw with Swansea City in the opening weekend of the Premier League.
Carneiro and Fearn were demoted from matchday duties in the aftermath of the incident and the doctor subsequently quit the club late last month.
The Football Association confirmed earlier this week that it would take no action over alleged discriminatory remarks directed by Mourinho to Carneiro, prompting the 42-year-old to issue a statement in which she questioned their handling of the affair.
Petit has branded Mourinho's public criticism of Carneiro as "degrading" and "insulting" and considers it to be part of a new darker side of the Portuguese coach which has emerged this season.
"I didn't like what happened with Eva Carneiro the physio," Petit told Omnisport.
"If that had happened privately, if it'd been leaked or whatever, I would have accepted it. But it was public, everyone saw it, he didn't hide to insult her.
"It was degrading, insulting, and I can understand that she didn't want to go back to work [at Chelsea].
"I like Mourinho but recently I have the impression of seeing the hidden side of Mourinho. He is nebulous, tyrannic."
The 45-year-old, who departed Chelsea at the time of Mourinho's arrival for the Portuguese manager's first stint in charge in 2004, went on to defend the former Real Madrid coach's record at top clubs and admits he would have relished the chance to play under his "crazy" system.
"I would have liked to play under him. I think he has this crazy side that I like," said Petit.
"He is anti-conformist. He speaks freely. He pursues his ideas.
"I think of him as a guru. What he has accomplished at all the clubs he (coached), nobody else has done it. People can say that Mourinho is a p****, he is annoying, he is a megalomaniac, or paranoid, or whatever but we need to be honest. He won with every team he coached, except at Madrid, where he didn't win the Champions League."
Mourinho has also caught the headlines this season for his treatment of Chelsea captain John Terry, who has been confined to a role among the substitutes for much of the last few weeks despite being ever-present in the Premier League title-winning side last term.
Petit, however, insists Terry should not be given any preferential treatment at the club, adding: "As for John Terry, he should say 'Listen, John - that's football'. If you are good you play, if you are not good, you go on the bench. It doesn't matter if your name is John Terry. It's the same for everybody."
