Villa boss O'Neill: More to Mourinho than Abramovich
chequebook
tribalfooball.com - September 29, 2006
Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill insists there's more to Chelsea
counterpart Jose Mourinho than Roman Abramovich's chequebook.
O'Neill, whose Celtic side were beaten by Mourinho's Porto in the
2003 UEFA Cup final, said: "Jose has proved himself to be a top
class manger. He proved himself in Portugal and he is proving
himself at Chelsea.
"While we all think we'd like the best players available, you still
have to go and manage them and he's proved capable of doing
it.
"Chelsea are a terrific side. They are
going for a third consecutive league title, have not lost at
Stamford Bridge for so long, and they have set such a high
standard. They make winning games a habit.
"I have nothing but admiration for the top managers in the game -
Jose, Sir Alex Ferguson, Arsene Wenger and Rafael Benitez. They
have all done it."
O'Neill does not believe new Villa owner Randy Lerner will splash
out money in the same way as Chelsea counterpart Roman Abramovich,
but insists he has no complaints about the London club adopting
that approach.
He said: "I've seen some quotes from people trying to stir it up a
bit with Mourinho about me saying 'we are not going down the
Chelsea way.'
"What I said is I don't see Randy Lerner adopting the same
approach. I didn't say the Chelsea way was wrong."
