In 2004, Jose Mourinho arrived in the Premier League for the first time, christening himself ‘The Special One’, winning Chelsea a maiden title – and with it the respect of the football public. He was bold, tactically exceptional and no-nonsense – but ultimately, he was exceptionally cool.
Now, a slightly more grey, and a very much more bitter Jose Mourinho parades the touchline, and sulks his way into post-match press conferences.
So is it the Portuguese boss who’s changed? Or is it merely that fans have grown tired of the rubbish he continually spouts before and after matches?
Here’s five reasons this season that show why Mourinho has gone from hero, to zero in the eyes of the Premier League fan.
5) The consistent insistence that Chelsea are underdogs…
“The title race is between two horses and a little horse that needs milk and needs to learn how to jump,” said Mourinho, following a win over title rivals Manchester City back in early February.
Do us a favour, Jose.
Comparing a Chelsea side (which has spent over £700m on transfers in 10 years) to fledgling horses, is at best mildly irritating, and at worst – disrespectful.
Even when Chelsea were five points clear, Mourinho insisted his ‘young side’ wasn’t ready for title glory. Now, Brendan Rodgers’ Liverpool outfit (whose average starting XI age is two years younger) sit at the top of the table, two points ahead of the Blues.
Serves you right, Mr. Mourinho.
4) The constant moaning about forwards…
Chelsea’s strikers have struggled all season, but it’s no surprise they lack confidence when their manager tells them how useless they are the whole time.
Mourinho joked that Samuel Eto’o “is 32 years old, maybe 35,” and he’s barely given Demba Ba a sniff all term.
He rates Fernando Torres about as highly as Andre Vilas Boas rated Emmanuel Adebayor, and has repeatedly claimed that he needs new forwards next term.
“I have a team but no striker,” Mourinho said back in February.
“It is not possible for us to win the Premier League.”
Chelsea’s forwards have won five Champions League titles between them, and he sent Romelu Lukaku, who scored 17 top flight goals last term, on loan for the year.
Forgive us for not feeling too much sympathy.
3) The boring style of football…
Chelsea are a good side. No doubt. But of the three Premier League title contenders, their style is the least pleasing on the eye by a million miles.
Liverpool and Manchester City both favour a ‘we’ll score more goals than you approach’, which has led to countless exciting matches featuring the pair this term. The Reds, for example, have bagged a whopping 26 more times than Mourinho’s men this term.
Chelsea are robotic, defensive and tactically strong – like Mourinho teams always are. While it might win them the title, it won’t win them the heart of the neutral.
2) The treatment of loan players…
This is probably more the fault of Chelsea as a club, but it’s still very annoying for the outsider.
The Blues have 27 players currently out on loan, but not one of them looks like he’ll ever make the grade at Stamford Bridge.
So what’s the point?!
Thibuat Courtois and Romelu Lukaku have both done exceptionally well on loan, and yet it still looks as though they’ll either be sold for profit, or sent out AGAIN on loan.
Essentially, it looks as though Chelsea are trying to collect every talented young player in Europe, and hope one of them turns into Lionel Messi. It’s detrimental to the players’ careers, and gives the club an unfair advantage – as the on-loan players are ineligible to face their parent club.
1) The way Mourinho thinks he can get away with everything…
Mourinho criticises referees relentlessly. He wanders out of his technical area as he pleases. He occasionally doesn’t shake an opposing manager’s hand when it doesn’t suit him. He whispers in the ear of a ball boy that one of his players may punch him if the kid doesn’t hurry up. When he praises another side or manager, it seethes with sarcasm, subtext and irony.
Yes, it makes him watchable, but it’s not that fun anymore – especially when contrasted to the largely respectful behaviour displayed by Manuel Pellegrini, Brendan Rodgers and Arsene Wenger.
It’s time that Mourinho grows up, or shuts up.