Liverpool FC Forum

by **115-1073096938** » Tue May 31, 2005 12:21 pm

Was having a discussion last night with a few mates in the pub and i couldn't believe there attitude towards Mourinho.

They were saying he was to arrogant to be a good manager and that anyone could do what he done with the amount of money he's had.

I have nothing but respect for the way he does things. I.E. his response to a journalist who questioned him "thats why i'm sitting here and ur writing for a newspaper". The mans attitude and confidence rubs off on his players and to be honest at times, this season Chelsea have looked unbeatable and most of this is down to him. He also believes he s a great manager... he clearly is. Whats wrong with him stating he's good at his job if he can back it up?

As for Beni, we all know the mans class. But the fact is he hasn't adapted to this country aswell as Mourinho and i believe he made a mistake in not keeping Phil Thompson on (someone who knows the english game and the club).

Also don't know if this has been said...

2003 - mourinho wins the uefa cup
2004 - mourinho wins the champs league
2005 - mourinho wins the premiership

2004 - benitez wins the uefa cup
2005 - benitez wins the champs league
2006 - ........ Benitez wins the premiership??

by **RAFABENITEZ** » Tue May 31, 2005 12:23 pm

stu_the_red wrote:Was having a discussion last night with a few mates in the pub and i couldn't believe there attitude towards Mourinho.

They were saying he was to arrogant to be a good manager and that anyone could do what he done with the amount of money he's had.

I have nothing but respect for the way he does things. I.E. his response to a journalist who questioned him "thats why i'm sitting here and ur writing for a newspaper". The mans attitude and confidence rubs off on his players and to be honest at times, this season Chelsea have looked unbeatable and most of this is down to him. He also believes he s a great manager... he clearly is. Whats wrong with him stating he's good at his job if he can back it up?

As for Beni, we all know the mans class. But the fact is he hasn't adapted to this country aswell as Mourinho and i believe he made a mistake in not keeping Phil Thompson on (someone who knows the english game and the club).

Also don't know if this has been said...

2003 - mourinho wins the uefa cup
2004 - mourinho wins the champs league
2005 - mourinho wins the premiership

2004 - benitez wins the uefa cup
2005 - benitez wins the champs league
2006 - ........ Benitez wins the premiership??

Posted: May 31 2005,12:21

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Was having a discussion last night with a few mates in the pub and i couldn't believe there attitude towards Mourinho.

They were saying he was to arrogant to be a good manager and that anyone could do what he done with the amount of money he's had.

I have nothing but respect for the way he does things. I.E. his response to a journalist who questioned him "thats why i'm sitting here and ur writing for a newspaper". The mans attitude and confidence rubs off on his players and to be honest at times, this season Chelsea have looked unbeatable and most of this is down to him. He also believes he s a great manager... he clearly is. Whats wrong with him stating he's good at his job if he can back it up?

As for Beni, we all know the mans class. But the fact is he hasn't adapted to this country aswell as Mourinho and i believe he made a mistake in not keeping Phil Thompson on (someone who knows the english game and the club).

Also don't know if this has been said...

2003 - mourinho wins the uefa cup
2004 - mourinho wins the champs league
2005 - mourinho wins the premiership

2004 - benitez wins the uefa cup
2005 - benitez wins the champs league
2006 - Benitez wins TREBLE!!!!!!

you never know lads, believe!

by **Ace Ventura** » Tue May 31, 2005 12:29 pm

After all the coincidences about winning the champions league...and then it coming true, i like the end of that post stu.
I agree to an extent about Mourinho he has took Chelsea that extra yard an done what others couldnt, but he is arrogant and sometimes disrespectful...so what if he can back it up ?
What he said to the journalist belittled him and his profession. They are two totally different jobs and his commets just made me think he was a cocky w@nker.
He has done well wherever he has been and is one of the best coaches in the world without doubt.
But so is Rafa...he is also a great man, who is a good winner and dignified loser.
I know which one i would want as manager or as a friend.

by **115-1073096938** » Tue May 31, 2005 12:35 pm

What he said to the journalist belittled him and his profession. They are two totally different jobs and his commets just made me think he was a cocky w@nker.

It didn't belittle his job at all though.

Thats my point. He's basically saying i'm brilliant at my job, so what right does someone who isn't even in the same line of work have to question my ability?

I totally agree with him aswell. To many people have opinions on stuff they know NOTHING or VERY LITTLE about. He doesn't tell the journalists what to write, he didn't say he was better at there job than they are. He simply stated that he knew what he was doing.

by **stmichael** » Tue May 31, 2005 12:38 pm

Both fantastic managers in their own right but in terms of personalitiies, they couldn't be more different.

When comparing the two in their first seasons, I think it's important to look at the facts.

Mourinho didn't have to face losing a single player whom he'd rather had stayed; Benitez had no choice but to sell Michael Owen, his one and only proven Premiership goalscorer, once Real Madrid made their move.

Mourinho didn't have any of his players unsettled by transfer talk; Benitez had Steven Gerrard's head turned and churned, time and time again.

Mourinho had to deal with a number of injuries, but mostly to full-backs (where the brilliant Gallas could step in) and squad players; Benitez lost many of his key men, with the major disruption to the spine of the side.

Mourinho had a super-strong squad; Benitez was working with players many felt were rejects, if not total joke figures. If Joe Cole has improved dramatically under Mourinho, then Igor Biscan is living proof that in fact you can, to counter Keith Richards's quote, "polish a turd". (Not that Igor was 'manure', of course, but many could be forgiven for thinking as much during the previous four years.)

The only way to compare the two managers would have been to see how well Mourinho would have done had he taken charge of Chelsea in 2003, when the club scraped into the Champions League (at Liverpool's expense). Had Mourinho taken over at that point in time, and Abramovich instead purchased an Italian team (for example), then at least some kind of comparison could be made. Oh, but it would have needed Frank Lampard to be sold to Real Madrid, and John Terry's focus to be constantly undermined by the deafening barrage of rumours, speculation, and attacks on his loyalty.

by **azriahmad** » Tue May 31, 2005 12:40 pm

I would like to say the same exact things, but I'm too lazy to copy and past your threads...

by **JBG** » Tue May 31, 2005 12:58 pm

Mourinho is a fantastic manager, end of story.

Don't let his cocky attitude cloud people's judgement as thats a ploy to take pressure of his players and team.

by **Fowler_E7** » Tue May 31, 2005 1:07 pm

JBG wrote:Mourinho is a fantastic manager, end of story.

Don't let his cocky attitude cloud people's judgement as thats a ploy to take pressure of his players and team.

But it cant be denied that he also loves every minute of the media spot light. Personally i have nothing against him and i think he's one of the best in the business, but his job cannot be compared to Benitez's which is much tougher and im not sure if Mourinho could have acheived more with our squad than Rafa has this pst season.

by **Big Niall** » Tue May 31, 2005 1:13 pm

Mourinho is a wannker but a fantastic manager and that is what counts. He also settled into the premiership straight away, winning the league in his first season, at a canter, is incredible.

Rafa looks like he is on a learning curve in the premiership so I'd have to give the edge to Mourinho SO FAR.

by **stmichael** » Tue May 31, 2005 1:18 pm

to be honest, i think this new wave of foreign managers coming into the premiership have got wenger and ferguson running scared. they now know that unless they start bucking their own ideas up that mourinho and benitez are so good that they'll leave manure and arsenal behind. the cheap shots have already started and it's just sour grapes and fear.

by **woof woof !** » Tue May 31, 2005 1:20 pm

I don't care how good he is I can't stand him . Fortunately for us the difference between football and sex is that in football you don't have to like every cu'nt you bump into.

by **taff** » Tue May 31, 2005 1:38 pm

I like Mourhinho and think he's done really well. He is cocky but backs it up. I also think that he's a good sportsman, his job is to manage Chelseas but I do like the way he behaves towards others.

But I am impressed more by Rafa, and I think that the two clubs have managers who seem to represent the different ethos and aproach to the game.

On comparison. A bit unfair after one season due to different circumstances but I will say that the thought of benitez having 200 million pound transfer money would probably frighten every top level manager in Europe

by **Ace Ventura** » Tue May 31, 2005 1:47 pm

RAFABENITEZ wrote:
stu_the_red wrote:Was having a discussion last night with a few mates in the pub and i couldn't believe there attitude towards Mourinho.

They were saying he was to arrogant to be a good manager and that anyone could do what he done with the amount of money he's had.

I have nothing but respect for the way he does things. I.E. his response to a journalist who questioned him "thats why i'm sitting here and ur writing for a newspaper". The mans attitude and confidence rubs off on his players and to be honest at times, this season Chelsea have looked unbeatable and most of this is down to him. He also believes he s a great manager... he clearly is. Whats wrong with him stating he's good at his job if he can back it up?

As for Beni, we all know the mans class. But the fact is he hasn't adapted to this country aswell as Mourinho and i believe he made a mistake in not keeping Phil Thompson on (someone who knows the english game and the club).

Also don't know if this has been said...

2003 - mourinho wins the uefa cup
2004 - mourinho wins the champs league
2005 - mourinho wins the premiership

2004 - benitez wins the uefa cup
2005 - benitez wins the champs league
2006 - ........ Benitez wins the premiership??

Posted: May 31 2005,12:21

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Was having a discussion last night with a few mates in the pub and i couldn't believe there attitude towards Mourinho.

They were saying he was to arrogant to be a good manager and that anyone could do what he done with the amount of money he's had.

I have nothing but respect for the way he does things. I.E. his response to a journalist who questioned him "thats why i'm sitting here and ur writing for a newspaper". The mans attitude and confidence rubs off on his players and to be honest at times, this season Chelsea have looked unbeatable and most of this is down to him. He also believes he s a great manager... he clearly is. Whats wrong with him stating he's good at his job if he can back it up?

As for Beni, we all know the mans class. But the fact is he hasn't adapted to this country aswell as Mourinho and i believe he made a mistake in not keeping Phil Thompson on (someone who knows the english game and the club).

Also don't know if this has been said...

2003 - mourinho wins the uefa cup
2004 - mourinho wins the champs league
2005 - mourinho wins the premiership

2004 - benitez wins the uefa cup
2005 - benitez wins the champs league
2006 - Benitez wins TREBLE!!!!!!

you never know lads, believe!

That statement imo is implying that writing for a newspaper is some unimportant job.
I agree with anyone that says Jose is a top quality manager but he should show more respect for people in general. At first it was quite funny but its worn a bit thin.
He does take the pressure off his players but he could do that without going over the top.
Am not sure he could of done the job Rafa has done with us...while am pretty sure Rafa could of taken the premiership runners up last season...the extra step with an unlimited budget.
Am not belittling his achievements cos they walked the league...its just my opinion that Rafa achieved far more with the resources he had.

by **hawkmoon269** » Tue May 31, 2005 1:49 pm

He certainly got Chelski playing consistanly as a team. He is an extremely good man manager, getting the team to bond with him and the fans. Just look at the way he congratulates every member of the team, as they come of the pitch. Look also at the "publicity stunt" of throwing the shirts into the crowd.

The EPL hasn't seen anything like hime before - he may be c0cky and arrogant with the media - but he gets results.

I personally think he could loose this arrogance, and still be a great manager.

Maybe next year Rafa will be as good in the Premiership as he's been in Europe - and then he'd be better that Maureen. He'd be getting the results, but still be a gentleman off the pitch.

by **JBG** » Tue May 31, 2005 1:54 pm

I don't think Mourinho is a big a :censored:

as people make out.

All of his players, both at Porto and Chelsea, rave about him. Even Adrian Mutu paid tribute to him last week.

From what I have heard he is actually a reasonably ok bloke, and his media image is carefully tailored to give the impression of him being arrogant so as to keep the media focus firmly on him and off his players.

Its probably a bit of both but I personally don't think he's a big a dick as people make out. He seemed far more relaxed in his recent interview with Gary Lineker on BBC. He's actually embarassed by the "Special One" comments.

It could (and probably will) completely backfire on him eventually, but never judge a book by its cover and all that.

Rafa gives the impression of being the polite school boy in his interviews, but Jamie Carragher and Sami Hyppia stated earlier in the season how strict and tough he was behind closed doors.

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