There has been a lot of talk about Mourinho, especially after he said himself that he'd like to return to the Premier League, but as much as I respect him as a manager, I don't think he'd be right. Why? Because, from what I have seen, what he does is take over at a club, buy lots of already proven (i.e. aged 27+) players, wins a few trophies and then when he's satisfied he moves on to conquer another league. I do not wish to witness what's happened to Chelsea over the last few years. After Mourinho left, they lost three successive leagues to us, as a result of their massively ageing squad. Also, what I love most about Fergie, is his trust in youth and potential. Ronaldo, Anderson, Nani, Rooney, etc. They were all bought when they were very young, and, expensive or not, they've all lived up to their huge potential, and will only improve in the coming years. That's what we need, and I don't think Mourinho would help us achieve that. Lastly, while we might win a few more trophies, it won't be the same United. I know you may say that it's inevitable if there's no Fergie, but I think there are certain people that could do a pretty good job while maintaining the scouting for potential that Ferguson is able to do so well.
I think that's a pretty narrow view of Mourinho. When at Chelsea he bought Mikel (19), Diarra (20), Kalou (20), Essien (22), SWP (23), Tiago (23), Ferreira (25), Drogba (26) and Carvalho (27). There's a fair bit of youth there, and most of them weren't proven at the highest level. Chelsea's decline after Mourinho is a result of successive managers not being allowed any time to remake the team in their own image - one season without success and they were out the door, and often didn't even get that long. At Inter he bought Muntari (23), Quaresma (24), Sneijder (25), and brought Balotelli and Santon through the ranks. He only bought older players like Milito and Motta to give the experience needed to succeed in Europe, same way SAF bought Carrick, Hargreaves and Berbatov when he thought the team needed experience. He left cos he had the chance to manage Real - it would be hard for most managers to turn that down. And the club fell down afterwards cos Benitez was so intent on going to war with the board every chance he got. Even at Real, with the pressure for immediate success, he bought Ozil (21), Di Maria (22), and Khedira (23) and they've scored 117 goals in 50 games. His style may be more efficient than flamboyant, but then most managers don't achieve the same level of attractive attacking football that SAF does whilst still being effective at actually winning games. I'd definitely rather have Mourinho than Wenger or Redknapp. Who do you reckon would be good for United?
The thing about your list of players swarbs is that look how many of them are no longer there or who didn't live up to their potential. Mikel was an exciting attacking midfielder, now he is a slightly improved Denilson. Kalou is purely a utility player, SWP is now just a mercenary who has no ambition to play football, Tiago is gone, Muntari left too and Quaresma was never trusted. Whilst he is exceptional at some things, maintaining a team over a period of time does not seem to be one of them.
True, but then imo most of those players went downhill after he left the club. Kalou and Mikel developed under Mourinho but then plateaued after he left, Tiago did fine but was replaced with Essien, and Muntari only left recently. SWP and Quaresma didn't succeed, but then all managers have flops at times. Had SAF left United in 2005, I doubt Ronaldo would have become the player he is today, and likewise if he'd left when Nani, Rooney, Fletcher, Giggs, Scholes, Neville etc were all in the early phases of their careers. Imo Mourinho has never been given (or taken) the opportunity to maintain a team over a period of time. Following his success with Porto he was naturally going to want to move to a bigger team; Chelsea got rid of him and have probably regretted it since; and he left Inter cos the Real job came up. None of the clubs he left went into decline until after he left, and Inter and Chelsea didn't handle the succession well at all, so it's hard to argue he couldn't have kept them going had he stayed.
It would depend on money and a lot of it being made available It's half a squad that needs buying over the next couple of years or so with the older players ready to retire,Hargreaves and Owen injury prone and the likes of obertan bebe Gibson carrick who need replacing So if fergie retires at the end of the season and mourinho doesn't come then I think you have a problem. Alternatively if mourinho does come then the glazers will have given him a lot of money then its your rivals that have a problem Therefore I hope it's the former
I cant see SAF retiring at the end of the season and Jose will stay at RM until end of next season, so maybe then SAF will retire.
To be honest it's all speculation on my part. It's like when a club ditches its manager and then wins the next game with a superb performance. Did they win because the manager was sacked, or did they win cos all the work he put in before the game is finally coming to fruition? Mourinho could have stayed at Chelsea and they could have done even worse over the last four years as a result, we'll just never know. It just seems a little premature to argue that he can't manage a big club over the long term when the only chance he had was at Inter, and you can hardly blame him for ditching them for Real Madrid. Likewise, I think it's a little harsh to claim none of his youth players have developed well when he has only had a maximum of three years at each club to try and develop them, and they often got neglected by the next manager to come in. Especially when I'm wrong
Alternatively, Jose was chasing the first Quadruple in English football history, we won the league cup but his dream ended at Liverpool with the phantom goal only to see the league go west after drawing with Arsenal. Maureen's first season without a league title? Although revenge was sweet as we beat United in the first ever cup final at Chelsea's new home ground That's when things started to go wrong, we lost at Villa then a draw at home to Blackburn Followed by a boring home UCL draw against Rosenborg I think? Then left sometime after Did he foresee future problems ahead at Chelsea? if so did he think it would damage the aura surrounding him? Went to Inter who are no strangers to trophies and like at Chelsea was instantly successful winning five trophies including the UCL but again leaves?? He is on record as saying Madrid are the biggest club in the world and that much is true but did he take that job based on his hate for Barcelona? So far Jose is potless at Real and the league has already gone and with Barcelona looming in the UCL it doesn't look good as they are by far the best team in the galaxy If potless and the end of this season and Jose having put in his customary two year shift will he go to United? There is no doubt in my mind that Jose is the best manager of the modern age and no one has the motivational skills he has shown constantly throughout his career. The only thing with Jose is he does come with baggage and does generally move on after two years.....
I don't want to try and teach granny how to suck eggs, but aren't you getting a few things mixed up here? By mentioning losing the league to United at the Emirates but beating us in the Cup final, it seems you're referring to 2006/7. But Garcia's ghost-goal was in your tie with Liverpool in 2004/5. The scousers knocked you out of Europe in 06/07 too, but it was on pens. I know you won the Carling Cup in both 04/05 and 06/07, maybe that's where you're getting confused... Come off it Ginge, I know you don't like Fergie, but you can't look past him for best manager of the modern era.
The best manager tactically, but I'm not convinced about his motivational skills. Telling Muntari that Ramadan was making him play badly was hardly a great motivational move. And with the exception of some of his original Porto team he doesn't seem to have engendered the same type of loyalty as that achieved by SAF and Wenger.
Have to disagree, Mourinho is, like Sir Alex, a master of creating a 'siege-mentality' amongst his players. This, in my opinion, is the most powerful motivational method any coach could use... His grasp of the phychological side of football is unmatched..He knows how to get under the skin of opponents to the finest detail. And he gets players to fight for him. I've read a few interviews from Sneidjer where he has explained some of the small things Mourinho has said/done that helped him to reach next level, things that most coaches wouldn't say or do... Some of the comments his ex-players have made about him show how higly they regard him.. There are ex-players who would drop their current club in an instant to join him. To go unbeaten at home for nine years takes remarkable, and sustained, motivation..
Agreed That's the difference between Maureen & Fergie, Maureen has proved himself in three different countries with quite different teams and Fergie has not. Jose again has a chance to do so again providing he can get passed his nemesis Guardiola & Barcelona. Jip Jap Yes the memory fades Not the reliable tool it used to be My all time managers list is as follows; And before you all come screaming they are my opinions based on vision, standing, reputation & achievements and therefore can not be changed 1) Rinus Michels (inventor of total football) 2) Ernst Happel (Winner of four titles in four different countries) 3) Jose Mourinho (Mr motivator extraordinaire) 4) Sir Matt Busby (Laid the foundation stones out of the ruins that was Munich, managers still benefitting from his vision) 5) Jock Stein (took a bunch of lads that all lived within 5 miles of the ground to European glory) 5) Alex Ferguson (Most successful manager in premier league) 7) Bill Shankly (This is Anfield) 8) Bob Paisley (Took Liverpool further) 9) Brian Clough (He would be disappointed at being 9th on my list) 10) Marcello Lippi (Considered by most managers as 'the coach' World Cup Winner)
That's true, although he's yet to prove he can engender the same sort of long term motivation that SAF has instilled in players like Giggs, Scholes and Neville. Getting players up for a game, and getting them up for their 20th campaign when they have all the medals there are to be won requires very different skill sets. Mourinho still has to be tested over the long term. SAF has also proved himself at three different clubs: St Mirren, Aberdeen and United, all with widely differing circumstances. St Mirren was probalby one of his greatest achievements - they went from what was effectively the Scottish third division to the Scottish Premier league in four seasons, with an average age of 19. Doesn't really compare to Mourinho's achievements to date, but still fairly noteworthy. Mourinho still arguably needs to prove himself with a lower league team or one where he can't buy the players he wants / needs to succeed. He also still needs to prove he can rebuild a team when key players start leaving. If he can do either of those, then he'll be ahead of SAF for me. Until then, they are fairly level with Matt Busby and Bill Shankly as the best managers even to manage in Britain in my opinion.
I don't think he'll ever prove himself in this respect now. I can't see him managing any team that is not in Europe's elite (hopefully that will rule City out).
Hardly proved himself as he? St Mirren is hardly the same as Porto, Chelsea, Inter & Real is it And don't forget in Aberdeen he inherited a ready made team off of Billy McNeil who incidentally had a better win ratio than Ferguson. Would Ferguson have enjoyed the fame that managers like Jose, Michels & Happel who have won the top trophies in different countries with different teams?? I don't believe he would have but we will never know as he had no will to test himself against those greats but choose loyalty instead of adventure which isn't a bad thing but outside of their own backyards will never be remembered as much as the groundbreaker greats who proved they can do it anywhere.
