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Image credit: TalkSport
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Football
managers are a rare breed. The very best ones are self-confident, charismatic
and obsessive workaholics. They are leaders of men and perfectionists who
obsess about every minute detail because at the highest level, there’s
a thin line between success and failure. So it is always rather alarming when
the one thing they have zero control over, father time, hits like a bolt out of
the blue. There is always something rather sad about watching the steady
erosion of greatness and we might just be witnessing another example in the
decline of Jose Mourinho.
managers are a rare breed. The very best ones are self-confident, charismatic
and obsessive workaholics. They are leaders of men and perfectionists who
obsess about every minute detail because at the highest level, there’s
a thin line between success and failure. So it is always rather alarming when
the one thing they have zero control over, father time, hits like a bolt out of
the blue. There is always something rather sad about watching the steady
erosion of greatness and we might just be witnessing another example in the
decline of Jose Mourinho.
The facts bear very grim reading indeed. This season Manchester United lost
three games in a row in the same week and the last time a Mourinho team lost
three consecutive competitive matches in a single campaign was in 2001/02. In
total, Mourinho has lost 13 of his last 27 league games as a manager while his
previous 13 defeats came over a span of 135 league games; the evidence against
him is mounting. There comes a time when all the greats realise that they can
no longer perform the way they used to and watching Mourinho, he seems so
sedate and callow, especially when compared to his earlier days. His press
conferences do not emanate the same excitement and his tactics seem much duller
than usual. This negativity is beginning to erode his brand and perception is
most usually a reality in the football business.
There
is a new age of managers in the league right now, with the likes of Pep, Klopp,
Pochettino and Conte. All of them are extremely animated on the touchline and
their teams favour a high tempo style of play that makes Mourinho look dated. They
seek to create and unleash the creativity of their players while Mourinho would
rather destroy and stifle creativity. This new school of managers have hit like
a tidal wave and one wonders whether Mourinho has the will to adapt. He seems
too willing to swim against the tide, almost like he is in denial. He is not
fully utilizing Paul Pogba’s gifts while he prefers to play Blind, Fellaini and
Lindgard in big games instead of Shaw, Martial, Mata, Mkhitaryan and
Schneiderlin.
is a new age of managers in the league right now, with the likes of Pep, Klopp,
Pochettino and Conte. All of them are extremely animated on the touchline and
their teams favour a high tempo style of play that makes Mourinho look dated. They
seek to create and unleash the creativity of their players while Mourinho would
rather destroy and stifle creativity. This new school of managers have hit like
a tidal wave and one wonders whether Mourinho has the will to adapt. He seems
too willing to swim against the tide, almost like he is in denial. He is not
fully utilizing Paul Pogba’s gifts while he prefers to play Blind, Fellaini and
Lindgard in big games instead of Shaw, Martial, Mata, Mkhitaryan and
Schneiderlin.
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The wear and tear is starting to show on The Special One
Image credit: the Guardian
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We
are left to wonder whether the disaster of Chelsea’s title defense has cracked
his self confidence to the point of no return. His major strength of being able
to motivate and prepare his players seems to have deserted him as his fall out
with star players like Hazard and Terry would suggest. It would be stupid to
write him off at this stage but questions must be asked of his tactics and
whether he can utilize the squad he has to its fullest potential. After all he
has won trophies with less caliber players in the past. His Porto team
conquered Portugal and Europe while his Inter Milan team won the treble.
are left to wonder whether the disaster of Chelsea’s title defense has cracked
his self confidence to the point of no return. His major strength of being able
to motivate and prepare his players seems to have deserted him as his fall out
with star players like Hazard and Terry would suggest. It would be stupid to
write him off at this stage but questions must be asked of his tactics and
whether he can utilize the squad he has to its fullest potential. After all he
has won trophies with less caliber players in the past. His Porto team
conquered Portugal and Europe while his Inter Milan team won the treble.
One thing that we do know is that if he
fails to lead United into a glorious new era then he will be completely damaged
goods. Football can be cruel and no one will know better about this than
Mourinho. Having spent money to assemble the most expensive squad in world
football he must deliver.
fails to lead United into a glorious new era then he will be completely damaged
goods. Football can be cruel and no one will know better about this than
Mourinho. Having spent money to assemble the most expensive squad in world
football he must deliver.
