Mou: "I have a problem. I'm getting better at everything."

[mundodeamor]

Exclusive interview for The Telegraph: The Chelsea manager talks religion, 'fearing nothing' and Machiavelli. Plus, he finally reveals the one thing he and title rival Arsene Wenger actually agree on.

Comments

thanks!

[jazzypom]

I read this interview yesterday, but it's always nice to read insights into the game by Mourinho. I've always thought that he tends to play up to the cameras, but away from them, he's pretty different. It's interesting what he says about Ferguson though, because I remember when he first came to the PL, himself and Fergie pretty much would shoot barbed insults at the other, but then Ferguson warmed up to him dead quick. Mourinho seems to be very much a competitor in himself, so yeah, I can understand why, as long as you're coaching when he's coaching, he'll cut you dead. But he's helped the careers of other managers, like Special K (Middlesbrough - he's sent a few loanees from Chelsea's academy there), Brendan Rodgers (tapped him into Chelsea's coaching staff) and Mauricio Pochettino (helped him get into the PL, from what I gathered). But English football is pretty unrelenting in terms of pace, so yeah, I can see how you can get caught up in games if you allow yourself to be.

It strikes me, I say, that he is greatly misunderstood; that he is actually one of the great deadpan comedians.

LOL, I've always thought that. My troll <3 - even though I can't support his PL team.

[mundodeamor]

I do think the whole whiny/mean Mou is a show, but on the other hand he isn't secretly Ancelotti either (who gets along so well with the players and is "nice" to them). I don't think he's mean, but he can be cold. I think it was Robben who said that Mou "doesn't like injured players" and a few other players spoke kind of badly about him. I'm not sure where I'm going with this, lol, I guess I'm just trying to gather my thoughts about Mou, because like I said I go back and forth with him. I think he's a good person and manager, but not a warm one - not that I'm saying that he should be, because different approaches and all that. Definitely a very entertaining one, though! ;)

injured players cost money and time

[jazzypom]

Look at Arsenal and their injured player woes. For every time they're not playing, they cost time and money. The team have to adjust to players being out, and at best, it's a source of annoyance; at worst, in the English game where the pace is unrelenting, it can have adverse knock on effects on your season.

Arjen Robben was out for LOOOOONNNNGG stretches of time, at Chelsea, I can see how Mourinho's nose would have been put out of joint. He sold Sturridge to LFC because of injuries (and yeah, seeing how LFC had to get on without Sturridge due to his injuries, I can see why Mourinho would cut him loose. Liverpool have to get another striker in the summer who isn't made out of glass. We've lost points because of his injuries, they've set us back).

Mourinho is definitely one who has his ways. The first thing he did when he came back was to get rid of Juan Mata because he didn't suit his ways in terms of how he wanted a team ethos.

I think Mourinho appeals to a certain kind of player. Zlatan likes him because of how arrogant Mourinho was, and Lampard liked him because Mourinho gave him confidence. Drogba and Mourinho--- well, it's all a love in with those two.

NGL, I missed Mourinho when he was away though. I think England agrees with him in the sense that the press understands that he's a troll but goes along with it for column inches, and supporters of other teams think that he's an SOB, but they wouldn't mind if he were their SOB. But it's a part of the game, I guess. In Spain, everything seemed to be a lot more personal, I guess with the ties he had to Barcelona, then his coming back to Real Madrid was a mix of trying to show Barcelona what they had missed by rejecting him, and then the sideshow with Real Madrid itself.

RE: injured players cost money and time

[mundodeamor]

I think England agrees with him in the sense that the press understands that he's a troll but goes along with it for column inches, and supporters of other teams think that he's an SOB, but they wouldn't mind if he were their SOB.

Exactly. Perfect description!

RE: injured players cost money and time

[sintitulo]

i know i'm late BUT your entire comment is perfect. the english press seems to actually enjoy mou's antics (i share that sentiment lol). the spanish... well, they have a hate-boner for him! it shocks me how much they bring him up even though he's gone.

The first thing he did when he came back was to get rid of Juan Mata because he didn't suit his ways in terms of how he wanted a team ethos.

yep, he's made some bold decisions & that one was especially risky considering mata was a fave for most chelsea supporters. i never believed it was personal - spanish papers were trying hard to make it appear as though mou had a vendetta against spaniards. ridiculous. mata has spoken rather well about his departure. and it's nice to see him continue being an important valuable player for a club like man utd.

Re: RE: injured players cost money and time

[jazzypom]

I know, right? It annoys me especially when Real Madridistas downplay Mourinho's efforts and team building (in terms of getting in the personnel) that Ancelotti could build and get the decima success on. But La Liga was a bit too personal for Mourinho, I think. It really unhinged him and broke him in some ways, because his second stint back in the PL... well, apart from his spats with Wenger (they just don't like each other), it's a bit more contrived than his first. But he does good copy, and when journalists actually engage him beyond the 'gotcha' questions, Mourinho can be thoughtful and his answers interesting.

Yeah, the Spanish media still bang on about Mourinho- like an ex that they can't get over. I know he says that he'd probably manage Real Madrid again if the opportunity came up, but I think he likes it at Chelsea. Now that him and the owner understand each other, Mourinho is left to do what he wants, in terms of player acquisition, and letting go. At Chelsea he's a proper gaffer, and when he's in London, he says that people generally leave him alone. I guess it's because there are about five London clubs in the PL, so that patch is diluted somewhat (not to mention Fulham and the other clubs in the Championship).

Yeah, Mata survived Real Madrid (wasn't he in their academy one time?), but it helps also that Mata seems to be a guy who's into other things, like his studies, blogging, etc. He's a guy that would bloom anywhere, tbh.