Genius or Journeyman?

The riddle of the moment is this: what lasted 9 years, 151 games and has been through 4 different clubs? The answer is: Jose Mourinho’s unbeaten home record in league matches. An impressive record by any standard, especially if we consider what he has won in that time period: 6 league titles, 2 cups, one league cup, three supercups, one UEFA cup and two Champions League titles. A record that would make any manager proud of his career. But Jose’s career as a first team manager has lasted for only a little over ten years, leaving much room for improvement.

Let us return to the unbeaten home record, recently broken with a 1-0 loss at home to the hands of Sporting Gijon. There is one thing that stands out from that record almost as much as how impressive the numbers are, and that is the fact that he has managed 4 clubs in these last 9 years. In fact, he tallies 6 clubs in this a-little-over-ten-years career. This isn’t much of an issue if we look at modern football, where manager sackings are seen as a way to boost team spirit and where money and the eternal quest for silverware sees little importance given to values like club fidelity. But if we look at the IFFHS list of top managers of the previous decade, we see that only two men stand above Jose Mourinho: Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger. And these two managers have stayed at their clubs for years, implemented their mentality and philosophy deep into the club’s roots and stood firm even when things got rough. So we need to ask ourselves one simple question: would Jose Mourinho be a better manager if he held on to the managerial chair for longer?

The above question obviously doesn’t have an easy answer. In Mourinho’s case, it seems like his manager life is haunted by Bela Guttman’s infamously fatal third season. And Bela Guttman is one of Mourinho’s notable influences in football, as are Malcolm Allison and Louis van Gaal, also often called “journeymen” themselves. Again, looking at the way the game is today, we would probably have to say that the examples of Wenger and Ferguson are the exception and that Mourinho follows the norm, although with a lot more success than usual. Some people, however, are quick to point out another thing – his personality.

Mourinho has been accused of being abrasive and of wearing down relationships with club officials and players. These accusations have come from the media, with whatever value you want to give them considering the often fuzzy sources and hearsay accounts, but also from players who have worked closely with him like Claude Makelele. Others will say that it is Jose himself who needs to find other challenges to focus his intense working schedule on.

Whatever reason we might want to point out for this issue, it does seem like with Jose Mourinho genius and success come hand in hand with a touch of madness. It seems like the things that make him great – his vision, his confidence, his ego, his motivating skills, his handling of the press and his insane work rate – are also the things that, in the end, see him burning bridges with players and clubs. And this will just make his story a lot more exciting to tell.

This guest post was written by Joao Fernandes from Coupon Croc. Joao is a huge Benfica fan and fellow countryman of Mourinho.  Benfica will be playing PSV Eindhoven on the 14th April in the Europa Cup quarter final.  If you are going to the game in Holland, Thomson Holidays are offering special supporter packages.

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The only thing that doesn’t make sense, apart from the transfer fees, is Newcastle’s agreement to let Carroll leave. But what these moves mean for the summer transfer window is what is really interesting.

For Newcastle, a star striker is an absolute must. The fact they would already have had to strengthen other areas will now be overshadowed by the search for a new goalscorer. And that assume they now survive in the Premiership. Without Carroll, that is not a certainty. Their ability to attract the best is not what it was, the loss of their best player will not help that, and it’s going to be a difficult summer for them in the transfer market.

Liverpool, on the other hand, will be hoping they’ve resolved the loss of Torres with Carroll. Personally, I feel that’s unlikely but the addition of Luis Suarez is inspired. He had a fantastic World Cup for Uruguay and impressed me. If he can bring that form and talent to the Liverpool side they can look forward to a much brighter second half of the season and beyond. The Anfield side will be looking at other areas of their squad instead, notably the defence, I’m sure.

At Chelsea there will be significant changes I feel. Ancelotti will no doubt look to rebuild his side around new signing Torres and you can expect some significant departures as he does it. I also feel that Abramovich will insist on some sort of return following his £70m outlay on Luiz and the Spanish striker. So who will go?

Drogba, it seems, is past his best and at 32 could be deemed surplus to requirements unless he sparks off a stunning partnership with Torres this season. He would still command a decent fee too. Chelsea’s other striker, Nicolas Anelka is a year younger, which isn’t much and has had a less significant impact on the side in terms of goals. He still offers quality and pace, though, and Ancelotti will have to decide between the two as to which is best to partner Torres.

Or he could choose to jettison them both, raising some £10-£12m in the process and seek out a new, younger model. At the same time, he’ll be looking at his midfield and wondering what to do. Is the current set up of Lampard, Essien, Kalou and Mikel, supported by Malouda and Ramires, the right one? For me, it actually is but Ancelotti may see it differently (especially with the usually indestructible Lampard showing his age in terms of injuries) and a summer transfer wouldn’t be a summer transfer window without Abramovich splashing the cash!

In defence, Chelsea look to have plugged a huge gap with the signing of Luiz so the only possible change there would be at right back. Terry, Alex and Luiz will share the centre back roles, with Terry bowing out to age and letting Chelsea form a potentially superb Luiz/Alex axis, while Ashley Cole will remain first choice left back for the Londoners and England for at least a couple more years. Only Bosingwa, Ivanovic and especially Ferreira (how is he still there?!) need worry.

Could Drogba and / or Anelka end up at Newcastle then, as Chelsea look to forge a strike partnership of similar success with Torres? It’s possible that at least one could end up there.

Outside of these three you can fully expect Manchester United and Arsenal to be as frugal as ever. United NEED a goalkeeper now van der Sar has announced his retirement in May, while Wenger will be confident about his current squad, if not his chances of holding on to Fabregas for yet another season.

Sir Alex Ferguson will find that goalkeeper but his search for replacements for Giggs and Scholes will go on. And on. As the players are themselves. Wenger will need to look for a Fabregas replacement, just in case, and he must surely look to replace the inept (but oddly lucky) Bendtner too. Outside of that, the current top two in the Premier League will consider themselves healthy in player terms.

The only other side who will be looking for real quality to push on to real success is Tottenham. Redknapp stated he was only one or two players from winning the League. I don’t think he’s too wrong with that, but who and what those two players are is a debate for another article!

In the meantime, there’s a title race on that Manchester United look to be cruising through, unbeaten as they are this season while the other challengers slip up around them. But nothing is ever certain, especially in this league. Liverpool, Chelsea and Newcastle proved that on January 31st.

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For Chelsea and Manchester United fans, however, it’s a bit of a damp squib. Chelsea face FC Copenhagen, a match which many will view as a virtual bye. Will that prove to be the case given the London club’s recent Premier League form, however? There’s potential for a shock in there, perhaps.

Meanwhile, United face Marseille which is at least a new enough fixture, but another French team in what has been a long line of them since the Old Trafford outfit began their long love affair with the competition. It also sees Gabriel Heinze return to Manchester. Wonder what reception he will get? Sir Alex Ferguson will no doubt be pleased with the draw.

Arsene Wenger, however, will not. He’d have been hoping for a slightly easier tie than the current best team in Europe (according to some…most?), while Harry Redknapp and Spurs will just be glad they were in the draw and will, no doubt, be relishing the challenge of AC Milan.

Other notable ties are Lyon versus Real Madrid and Inter Milan versus Bayern Munich. Lyon knocked Real out of the competition at this stage last year and will be dying to do the same again. Current holders Inter Milan will be feeling a sense of déja vu when they face the German side as it is a repeat of last year’s final. The same result Jose Mourinho enjoyed will no doubt suit Rafa Bernitez.

Here’s the full Champions League Draw:

Roma v Shakhtar Donetsk
AC Milan v Tottenham Hotspur
Valencia v Schalke
Inter Milan v Bayern Munich
Lyon v Real Madrid
Arsenal v Barcelona
Marseille v Manchester United
FC Copenhagen v Chelsea

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There’s been a LOT of love for Parker on Twitter today. Here’s my own little bit of sympathetic affection for the lad. Despite losing 3-1 to Chelsea at the weekend, Parker managed to pull this little beauty out of his hat to give the scoreline a modicum of respectability. Enjoy!

Not bad, eh.

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Chelsea have it rather easier, with Marseille, Spartak Moscow and Zilina. They should qualify easily from that group, as should Arsenal, who face Shakhtar Donetsk, Braga and Partizan Belgrade.

For Manchester United there is a return to Valencia and, interestingly, Glasgow Rangers. I was at Old Trafford the last time Rangers came to visit and events after the game can be described only as “tasty”. For some reason, the Rangers supporters thought kicking off right on Sir Matt Busby Way was a good idea. Coins and bottles were thrown from the car park into the street and as I made my way up to the Metro station I had to dodge a fair few.

It wasn’t a scary experience at all. I can only think the Rangers fans were very drunk as their aim was appalling. If anyone was hit it would have been a total fluke, as one fan threw a coin at me from less than a yard away and missed me by a mile. The hatred on his face was disgusting and I didn’t understand where it came from. The police will be out in force for this one, I have no doubt.

Full Draw

Group A
Inter Milan, Werder Bremen, Tottenham, FC Twente

Group B
Lyon, Benfica, Schalke, Hapoel Tel-Aviv

Group C
Manchester United, Valencia, Rangers, Bursaspor

Group D
Barcelona, Panathinaikos, FC Copenhagen, Rubin Kazan

Group E
Bayern Munich, AS Roma, Basel, CFR Cluj

Group F
Chelsea, Marseille, Spartak Moscow, Zilina

Group G
AC Milan, Real Madrid, Ajax, Auxerre

Group H
Arsenal, Shakhtar Donetsk, Braga, Partizan Belgrade

Full Champions League Fixture List

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The 3-1 victory at Wembley was Fergie’s first against Carlo Ancelotti and sends a message to Chelsea that they may have just got the better of Manchester United last season, but they have by no means gone away. Even with a side you wouldn’t consider to be their strongest first XI, United pretty much dominated the game and were certainly the most potent attacking force.

Chelsea will rightly remain firm favourites for the title this season, their strength in depth and experience will see to that. But United, who are still relying on some seriously old heads in Giggs and the untouchable Paul Scholes to guide the ‘youngsters’, will push them all the way.

This one match means nothing for a season long campaign – how the respective teams fare against the likes of Stoke City and Wolves on a wet and windy day in November will ultimately determine where the title heads this season. But when it comes to the head to head matches between the two something has changed.

United will now believe they can win, whereas last season it seemed like there were elements of doubt. Chelsea will now have those doubts, having been handed a lesson here for the first time. Of course, Chelsea’s pre season has been littered with defeats and this will only count as one more of those. When the real thing kicks off they will be a different animal, but still, this was their biggest rivals beating them at Wembley and lifting the first silverware of the season.

It must have an effect, no matter how little.

Chelsea have work to do, not least at the back, where they have been traditionally strong. Ashley Cole was disappointing on the day and Terry et al played far too deep, giving United opportunities to get at them, demonstrated when the highly impressive Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez scored his first competitive goal for the club.

Unmarked in middle, he was found by Valencia, who had beaten Chelsea’s too deep offside trap. What happened next wasn’t for the scrapbook as he fluffed his shot, only for the ball to rebound off his face and into the goal. 2-0 United, whatever.

The opening goal was of far better quality, Scholes’ long ball out to Rooney on the right was immediately put across goal for Valencia to sweep in, the Chelsea defence again AWOL.

Chelsea did pull one back through Kalou after good work from Drogba and it could have been a nervy last ten minutes or so for United had Berbatov not settled the tie with a beautiful chip over Hilario. For Berbatov it was an important goal. He really needs a good season to endear himself to the United faithful.

Man of the Match and the stand out player on the day though was Paul Scholes. He ran the show from the middle and it must be a concern for Ferguson and United’s supporters that their main man is 35. The goals have dried up over the last few years in number, but not in importance – witness the derby against Manchester City last season – and his influence remains intact also.

A replacement is needed and fast, but perhaps not for this season, which could be one of high significance. It is likely it will be Scholes’ and Giggs’ last in football (though you wouldn’t actually put money it!) and what a season it would be if they could lift the Premiership again, making it 19 for United, surpassing Liverpool in the process.

Good omens, too, in the partnership between Hernandez and Berbatov. Both on as second half subs for Rooney and Owen, who did ‘ok’, they forged an understanding almost immediately and, of course, both grabbed a goal. If Rooney is injured or out of form, you now feel that he might not be missed as much as he was last season. We’re yet to see Rooney partner the Mexican, but that has mouthwatering possibilities too.

There’s a long way to go yet, hell, we haven’t even got started, but on this performance United have every chance, while Chelsea need to get that defence back to its uncompromising best. Oh yes, the new season buzz is back.

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Well, ok, Chelsea are Premier League champions and FA Cup holders – but that counts for nothing THIS season.

For Roberto Mancini’s Manchester City and Carlo Ancelotti’s Chelsea, pre-season friendlies have proved a bit more than disappointing.

Just last night City were well beaten by Borussia Dortmund (3-1) while Chelsea slumped to defeat by Hamburg (2-1). Germany is still not a nice place for English clubs to go. But the story goes deeper than that. Chelsea lost to Eintracht Frankfurt (2-1) last Sunday and on the same day City lost 3-0 to Inter Milan.

Sure, it’s only pre-season and fitness and experimentation are the watch words, but you do wonder what psychological impact losing so often has on the players. Especially players unfamiliar with each other, as is the case at City more than Chelsea.

I have no doubt that both clubs will be up there at the top of the Premier League this season (though in City’s case, I still don’t believe they can really win the league), but there are very visible chinks in their respective armour that the likes of Arsenal, Tottenham and Manchester United will be keen to exploit.

Compare and contrast these club’s pre-season results with City and Chelsea and it’s a whole different story. United won 7-1 last night, albeit against much weaker opposition in a League of Ireland XI, while Tottenham defeated Benfica 1-0 and Arsenal’s last run out was a 3-2 victory over Celtic (who crashed out of the Champions League last night, by the way, losing on aggregate 4-2 to Braga) as they won the Emirates Cup.

Fact is, it doesn’t matter how much you spend, you need a manager capable of turning mercenary players into a team, as Mourinho did with Chelsea’s first expensively assembled squad and as Ancelotti has done since. You have to doubt Mancini’s ability to do the same with City.

Money doesn’t buy you happiness, shrewd management does. That’s why Spurs, United, Chelsea and Arsenal will once again be the teams to beat this season – and City will learn a very harsh lesson, with Mancini ending up the ultimate casualty.

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But I’m just not feeling it. The ONLY thing that’s ‘good’ about this upcoming season is that the annoying international match always scheduled for this time of year takes place BEFORE the season starts. About time.

Now I know once the Community Shield kicks off the excitement will begin to build, the problem these days is that the constant media coverage of transfer news and, more pertinently, the constant rumour-mongering is deadening the senses.

Oh, for the days when you first knew about a player signing for your club when they held the damn press conference. It was exciting. That’s all ruined now by the speculation – with so many rumours flooding our eyes and ears, you know one of them is going to be correct and it’s a pretty safe bet which one, usually.

Enough about that though, it happens every year and it’s not going to change now. It shouldn’t really affect what used to be a growing excitement about the first day of the season, should it. Yet that isn’t there either. Now maybe it’s my natural pessimism about the chances my own club (Manchester United) has of success this year – that could certainly be the case.

It seems to me that we’re standing still and allowing the rest to catch up with us, not least our bitter rivals, Manchester City. The first eleven they COULD put out this season is frightening. The only consolation I have is that this is City, hence they will find some way of cocking it up. They always do. Oh, and the fact Mancini does nothing for me as a manager – gone by Christmas if I was to guess.

A saving grace? Liverpool are no closer to winning that 19th title than they were the last time they won it. Further away in fact. Lovely.

Chelsea haven’t done too much, but they didn’t need to – age is being cited as their potential downfall. Not seeing that THIS season myself. Arsenal continue to rebuild and will push the top two, whoever they may be. It is not a forgone conclusion it will be Chelsea and Man Utd yet again.

Not with City and now Spurs assembling really good squads. So yeah, maybe it’s that.

Or maybe I’m just getting old and (more) cynical, wondering what the point of it all is? Which may have you asking why I wrote this article in the first place!

Well, I’ll be at Old Trafford a week on Monday to watch us take on Newcastle and I strongly suspect that buzz will come flying back then. I wanted to record the lack of it now to compare it to. Because what happens ON the pitch is so much more important to me than what goes on OFF the pitch and it’s THAT that gets me down. I cannot be bothered with it anymore. Just give me the Beautiful Game, in all its magnificence and leave the rest of the crap to those more willing to play in it.

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That’ll make for a nice return to the top division for West Brom. The same goes for Championship champions Newcastle, who travel to Old Trafford for a reunion with Manchester United while Blackpool get their first ever taste of Premier League action at home against Wigan. The Tangerines will be well pleased with the tie at Bloomfield Road as it gives them a great chance of getting some points on the board early.

The tie of the opening weekend is undoubtedly Arsenal versus Liverpool at Anfield. Liverpool, presumably with a new manager in place, will look to get off to a good start to provide the foundation for a more successful season than last year but they won’t find it easy against Arsene Wenger’s men. Expect this one to move to the Sunday for Sky coverage.

The two teams that battled it out for fourth place last season, Tottenham and Manchester City, get to resume their rivalry early as City travel to White Hart Lane in a potentially mouthwatering clash that could also be chosen by Sky.

Premier League Opening Day Fixtures

• Aston Villa v West Ham
• Blackburn v Everton
• Blackpool v Wigan
• Bolton v Fulham
• Chelsea v West Brom
• Liverpool v Arsenal
• Man Utd v Newcastle
• Sunderland v Birmingham
• Tottenham v Man City
• Wolves v Stoke

Full club-by-club season fixtures here.

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Manchester United and Arsenal have been sniffing round Cole for some time and it is believed that Arsenal would have already made their move were it not for the former West Ham player’s exorbitant wages. That could also be a stumbling block for cash-strapped United and it certainly rules out almost everyone else bar Manchester City and possibly Spurs.

Ballack will be in demand right across Europe. Again, high wages could be a stumbling block but with the Bundesliga now the most financially strong league in Europe a move back home could be on the cards.

Both will find new clubs with relative ease – it is Chelsea’s decision to let them go that is puzzling. Cole hasn’t featured too much under Carlo Ancelotti, due to injury, a lack of faith from the manager and the form of his team mates but he is still a quality player capable of stepping into most sides in England, if not Europe.

Ancelotti must feel he has plenty of cover for a Cole-type player, but I don’t think the same can be said of Ballack. Age and his injury might be part of the decision but he will have to buy as he cannot rely on the likes of the also injured Mikel or Essien to fill the void the German will leave. It will be a real blow for Ballack too, on top of his misfortune in missing the World Cup.

Chelsea have the cash, of course, and Ancelotti is not one to leave things to chance so he presumably has a plan to replace both players. What that plan is, I can only guess, but this decision does seem to weaken Chelsea in the short term. Expect Chelsea to spend big in the transfer window.

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