First, a disclaimer: I am a Chelsea fan to the bones and Jose Mourinho is not just a sporting idol, but a great inspiration. However, events over the last one month have made this article inevitable.
Like him or loathe him, no one can deny the fact that he is a serial winner. And while his antics and methods might be divisive, his output remains successful. No manager, dead or alive could claim to have enjoyed a decade of successes in different turfs as Mourinho have. From FC Porto to Chelsea, from Inter Milan to Real Madrid, he has left with a mindas touch. He has left in gold everything he has touched in the world of football. In truth, his coaching ingenuity is in supernumerary measure that to contest his abilities will be foolhardy. In his book, 'My Autobiography' Sir Alex Ferguson described Jose as a pragmatist with a huge primary philosphy of ensuring his teams don't lose. The former United gaffer went on to admit 'Jose's managerial ability became the greatest obstacle to our rebuilding.' He is that good!
Yet, with success have come a price for almost all teams Jose have managed. Some argue that he has left a dent in the reputation of his employers. In his defence, some have maintained that Jose Mourinho has become a gigantic brand in himself that it will be sensible to now sepretate his behaviour from that of his team. True as it may sound, we know enough to understand that one man by reason of his association can damage the reputation of his institution. Without attempting to do a rehash, Jose has always been known to talk big. He surely thinks highly of himself and his powers, so highly infact that one might mistake him crossing the border line of self esteem into arrogance. Yet, football is primarily entertainment, and bullish talking is a feature. However, with age should come maturity and prudence, but Jose seem not to have evolved with time in this regard.
For the purpose of this article, citing two recent examples will suffice. He was certainly patronising when he hit back at Montse Benitez, wife of Real Madrid Boss, Rafa Benitez. Montse had stoked the fire when she remarked that her husband always has to clear Mourinho's messes. She was refering to the fact that Benitez had had to manage teams previously coached by Jose. This includes Inter Milan and Real Madrid. Mourinho's response was classic 'If she takes care of her husband's diet she will have less time to speak about me.' It was a comment that was both unnecessray and rude. At 52, one will expect that Jose dosent respond to all issues and take matters too personal as he has done in the past. To drag Benitez into the picture and question the effectiveness of their matrinomy is to drag rivalry and bluntness too far. On this occasion, jose was not just wrong to have responded but to also have used such derogatory choice words.
Then, only weeks ago, there was the case of Chelsea doctor Eva Carnerio and Jose Mourinho. Her sin was to run into the pitch in the insistance of the refree and attend to Eden Hazard while Chelsea playing with 10 men were being held in a 2-2 draw at home to Swansea. Jose's response after the match in the full glare of the media was smashing: “I wasn't happy with my medical staff because even if you are a medical doctor or secretary on the bench, you have to understand the game. said Chelsea manager Mourinho. “If you go to the pitch to assist a player, then you must be sure that a player has a serious problem. I was sure that Eden didn't have a serious problem. He had a knock and was very tired. My medical department left me with eight fit outfield players in a counter attack after a set piece and we were worried we didn't have enough players left.” Vintage Jose many will say.
In the face of this dual Jose's shenenigans, many have called the Chelsea gaffer a sexist and the feminists have been quick to dismiss his knowldge and adherence of chivalry. However, I think calling Jose a sexist is blowing the matter out of proportion. He is not one, and the remarks above is one he could have meted out to the young, old, male, female or even trans-gender. What is also closer to the truth is that Jose Mourinho's excesses of recent seems to be ignited from a place of subtle frustration, perhaps about the state of his team going into this season, in comparison to his main rivals.
The real issue however is that Jose have always been like this. From poking the eyes of Tito Vilanova to slandering referees, he is a classic sore loser. A decade and more has passed since Jose announced his name in the footballing stage. Today, he is an established name with noteworthy successes. He might well become the greatest or one of the greatest managers of all times. It is not too much to demand that Jose Mourinho curtail his antics and alter some of his ways. Attitude and character are not his greatest strengths, but he must now live beyond pettiness. Age and circumstances should bring maturity and even if he doesn't care what the rest of the world thinks about him, he must realise that in the final analysis, it is essentially a game. Whenever Jose Mourinho's name is mentioned, the haters will always be on the prowl. That's a given. What I simply ask is that he respects others and their opinions, that's all!
No comments:
Post a Comment