Mourinho's Mental Health

A prior search result regarding comments he made about Sir Alex Ferguson caused me to question Mourinho's sanity and now we have this:

Chelsea boss Mourinho arrested, cautioned over pet dog - World Soccer - Yahoo! Sports:

"Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has been arrested and cautioned after an argument with police and a health official about his pet dog.

Wednesday's edition of The Sun newspaper said the 44-year-old coach left the club's player of the year awards after a call from his wife that their Yorkshire terrier was being taken away.
On arriving at his Belgravia home he saw an official and two police officers who wanted to put the dog in quarantine, fearing it had been taken abroad without jabs.

A spokesman for London's Metropolitan Police confirmed that officers went to an address in central London at 7:45 pm Tuesday with an officer from the Animal Health and Welfare Service.
'A 44-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of obstructing police and was taken to a west London police station,' he said."

Having said all of the above this of course could also be a set up by rival fans who detest the eccentric Chelsea manager...

The Intensity of Football

BBC SPORT Football My Club Wigan Athletic Jewell resigns as Wigan manager:

"It is not an easy thing to walk away from somewhere and something which has been such a part of your life for so long. The intensity of football at the highest level, although completely addictive, is also draining. I feel I would be kidding the chairman, my players and the supporters if I was to carry on without being able to put in the energy and dedication I know is required to be successful at this level."

Football is about competition

Wenger allows Muamba to leave, signs Polish keeper - World Soccer - Yahoo! Sports:

According to Arsenal's great manager Arsene Wenger:

"Football is about competition and it is down to quality and performance and the rest is open. "

Wine for Jose

BBC SPORT Football Premiership Ferguson lauds Mourinho dignity:

I cannot believe how friendly Sir Alex is being toward Jose Mourinho, after all that has gone on this season:

"Ferguson said: 'Jose understands winning and losing are twins in a way.

'You have to deal with them in the same way. When you win, you don't gloat and when you lose you don't go bananas.

'He was very complimentary after their draw at Arsenal and I'll bring him a decent bottle of wine to make sure his tastes are looked after.'"

Rick Parry on Mourinho

BBC SPORT Football My Club Liverpool Reds chief mocks beaten Chelsea:

Gravy time for Liverpool's chief executive. Liverpool try to spend their money wisely all the while having to listen to Mourinho bait everyone and anyone in England.

"'I don't care what he says, I don't listen...I guess when you've invested £500m it's a fantastic season to win the League Cup. He's welcome to his opinions, we care about Liverpool.' "

Fair enough to Rick Parry I say. I was a fan of Mourinho's when he came in. And I've been told he's a great coach but he hasn't delivered the Champions League. He should be fired now I say.

Ironically though, Mourinho's won the Premiership twice in row. Something Liverpool want to start doing again (and for which they'll need to spend money inorder to buy depth) :

"For us, the big prize is the Premier League, we've made no secret of that. (says Parry)...Every one of us wants to be a Premier League contender. We're not quite there, but we'll do everything in our power to make sure we get there."

Keane playing managerial game like Clough

TheStar.com - columnists - Keane runs a tight ship:

I know that everyone is expecting Roy Keane to take over at United one day but I didn't realize that he was more an admirer of Clough's managerial philosophy:

"Keane's main role model as a manager is not his mercurial master in Manchester, Sir Alex Ferguson. Rather, he has adopted the coercive personality of his first and most influential boss, Brian Clough. Clough was the crusty, manipulative, brilliant mind that for one brief shining moment turned tiny Nottingham Forest into the best club in Europe. Keane already has Clough's cockiness (during his heyday with Notts Forest, Clough was asked exactly how good he considered himself. 'I certainly wouldn't say I'm the best manager in the world, but I'm in the top one,' he replied)."

Mourinho is at it again

BBC SPORT Football My Club Liverpool Benitez dismisses Mourinho claims:

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho can always be relied upon to try to play some head games prior to a big match. Before today's first leg Champions League match against Chelsea he is actually trying to plant a seed into the referee's head by accussing Liverpool of targeting Chelsea players who go into the match on one yellow card.

But Liverpool manager Benitez is having none of it:

"It hadn't crossed my mind, but maybe it has Mourinho's because that is what Chelsea did two seasons ago to Xabi Alonso."

Benitez also wryly says:

'I am learning many things I didn't know,' said Benitez. 'That Chelsea have injury problems, but so do we. 'That they're tired and we're playing less important games. They've spent a lot of money over the last few years and they've a big squad. I also hear that he says Chelsea have got 60 more points than us over the last three years. Well to do that they've spent big, how much has each point cost them?'

I have to agree with Sir Alex

BBC SPORT Football Europe Ferguson hails Man Utd comeback:

Ferguson said of their first leg win over Milan:

'We kept playing our football, some of which was fantastic, and dominated the second half. Some of the football we played was absolute quality, really top class. We've got a magnificent chance now.'

I have questioned him over the years but can't argue with his team now. If they can keep it up I will say that they are playing better football than their treble winning team of '99.

Indeed.

They may not win the treble this year and perhaps don't have the same quality of players but for some reason the quality of their football is very, very, very high.

Hats off to United and Sir Alex...

You play to lose only to make your children happy

Jose Mourinho on whether or not Chelsea will go for a win against Werder Bremen today:

"You play to lose only to make your children happy. Every other time you play to win, whether it is a friendly or the Champions League...You have to respect your opponents and respect the opposition and respect yourself, and that is what we will do." ( BBC )

A great line from "the special one". He is quite right: we always play to win. We can't help it.

Even in letting our little children win a little kickabout, we teach them to enjoy winning. We are making it a habit for them.

But when we are all grown up and playing in the Champions League it is ridiculous to imagine a team like Chelsea letting an opponent win...

To provide quietness

Dutch manager Louis Van Gaal on managing:

"I think he (Chelsea's Mourinho) is a good manager who is always there to protect his players, which is an honourable value in my opinion."

"The media are everywhere the same, we (managers) have different views and want different things."

"They look for stories, whereas we look to provide quietness around our clubs and teams." ( BBC )

Ahh yes...quietness. And clamness. And optimum performance...that's what most managers aspire to...that's what needs to be provided and protected...at all costs...