Mourinho -Respect- What It Means To Him!
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Calcio Debate: Mourinho -Respect- What It Means To Him!
Inter coach Jose Mourinho has only been in Italian football for a matter of weeks, yet he is already indirectly boasting of his supposed superiority over those around him. Should the ‘Arrogant One’ be showing a little bit more respect?
Walter Zenga has hit out at Mourinho for his trumpet-blowing antics
I have no idea what Jose Mourinho’s music tastes are, but one thing I am certain of is that he doesn’t quite harmonize with the lyrics of Aretha Franklin’s iconic signature song ‘Respect’.
For all her achievements, number-ones, and awards in the music industry, the Soul legend, Franklin, will always be best remembered for ‘Respect’, a song which, unsurprisingly, showcases a woman’s plea for respect. Meanwhile Mourinho, for all the footballing accolades and trophies that continue to pile up in his managerial cabinet, is in grave danger, when he eventually retires, of being best remembered for a ‘lack’ of respect.
Nobody doubts that the ‘Special One’ is a world class coach, as his record speaks for itself. At the age of just 45, he has already won 12 trophies, including four league titles in England and Portugal, a Champions League and a UEFA Cup. By the time he is 60, Mourinho could possibly be one of the most successful managers in the history of the game.
Personally, I have always viewed Mourinho with love-hate spectacles. Football nowadays, with its robotic-like players, and money-dominated business interests, is crying out for some rebellious characters and so, on the positive side, Mourinho is certainly one of these. The Portuguese is a lyrical genius, and his wit and humorous analogies have often left me in fits of laughter. As a journalist, there is nothing better than a Mourinho press conference. However, there are times when the former Porto coach simply oversteps the mark, and his confidence quickly transforms into arrogance, which then converts into a complete lack of respect for his peers.
This was most recently exemplified by his hideous, offensive attack on Juventus coach Claudio Ranieri. The Tinkerman, earlier this week, had stated that “unlike Mourinho, I don’t need to win to be sure about what I am doing.”
While this was a little provoking, it certainly didn’t warrant the vitriolic response of Mourinho, who sniped: “Ranieri was right, I do need to win things to be sure of what I am doing. That’s why I have won so many trophies in my career.
"By contrast he has the mentality that winning isn’t crucial and at nearly 70-years-old he has just won a Super Cup and other small tournaments. He is too old to change his mentality.”
From a technical point of view, Mourinho is not wrong. In 21 years of management, and having bossed notable squads such as Fiorentina, Valencia (twice), Atletico Madrid, Chelsea, and now Juventus, Ranieri has won no major honours, picking up just a domestic cup in Italy and Spain, as well as a European Super Cup. In simple terms, Ranieri, at nearly 57 (not 70 as was deliberately over-exaggerated) is a ‘loser’, while the much younger Mourinho is a ‘winner’.
Nevertheless, Mourinho’s attack on Ranieri was nothing short of shameful. You will not find a nicer person in football than the Roman, who is even a much-loved figure in England despite the country’s partial distrust of Italians. Ranieri’s reply to Mourinho was classy, as he looked to end the war of words, but he did include a swipe which perfectly resembles many people’s feelings on the matter.
“Mourinho has shown everyone what he is really like by unveiling his true personality and what he thinks of his colleagues,” he stated.
The Tinkerman is quite right. Mourinho has waltzed into Italy, just as he did in England four years ago, with this attitude of “I am the best, and the rest of you are worthless”. This will only make Inter even more unpopular than they already are, and more importantly from Mourinho’s personal point of view, in the long-term, it threatens to damage his legacy. Mourinho is chiefly in the management game for personal glory. Once he has succeeded in Italy, he will move on to Spain to try and complete the clean sweep of Europe’s top domestic leagues. He will then finish off his career by attempting to win on the international stage, probably with his own country Portugal. This is the ideal path that Mourinho has obviously drawn out.
The tactician is at risk of alienating himself from the community and becoming a Billy no-mates. He needs to value his colleagues, learn to be graceful in defeat, and remember that he is not the only world class manager in the world. Earlier this week, former Inter and Italy goalkeeper Walter Zenga also hit out at Mourinho for his trumpet-blowing antics, and it is only a matter of time until the whole Calcio community turns against him.
Would a less controversial and more considerate Mourinho make him an inferior manager? It is unlikely. At the end of the day, some good manners are hardly going to rob him of his tactical powers. As Aretha Franklin said: “All I'm askin'…is for a little respect!”
What are your views on this topic? Should Mourinho show a bit more respect to his colleagues and fellow coaches? Is he in danger of alienating himself from the Calcio community? Is he risking how he will be remembered when he eventually retires? -
this is intresting
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i thinkhe is doing it on purpose.
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Originally posted by dragg:
i thinkhe is doing it on purpose.
i agree. he is not arrogant. but he plays mind games.