Walter Zenga has hit out at Mourinho for his
trumpet-blowing antics
I have no idea what Jose Mourinho’s music tastes are,
but one thing I am certain of is that he doesn’t quite harmonize
with the lyrics of Aretha Franklin’s iconic signature song
‘Respect’.
For all her achievements, number-ones, and awards in the music
industry, the Soul legend, Franklin, will always be best remembered
for ‘Respect’, a song which, unsurprisingly, showcases a woman’s
plea for respect. Meanwhile Mourinho, for all the footballing
accolades and trophies that continue to pile up in his managerial
cabinet, is in grave danger, when he eventually retires, of being
best remembered for a ‘lack’ of respect.
Nobody doubts that the ‘Special One’ is a world class coach, as his
record speaks for itself. At the age of just 45, he has already won
12 trophies, including four league titles in England and Portugal,
a Champions League and a UEFA Cup. By the time he is 60, Mourinho
could possibly be one of the most successful managers in the
history of the game.
Personally, I have always viewed Mourinho with love-hate
spectacles. Football nowadays, with its robotic-like players, and
money-dominated business interests, is crying out for some
rebellious characters and so, on the positive side, Mourinho is
certainly one of these. The Portuguese is a lyrical genius, and his
wit and humorous analogies have often left me in fits of laughter.
As a journalist, there is nothing better than a Mourinho press
conference. However, there are times when the former Porto coach
simply oversteps the mark, and his confidence quickly transforms
into arrogance, which then converts into a complete lack of respect
for his peers.
This was most recently exemplified by his hideous, offensive attack
on Juventus coach Claudio Ranieri. The Tinkerman, earlier this
week, had stated that “unlike Mourinho, I don’t need to win to be
sure about what I am doing.”
While this was a little provoking, it certainly didn’t warrant the
vitriolic response of Mourinho, who sniped: “Ranieri was right, I
do need to win things to be sure of what I am doing. That’s why I
have won so many trophies in my career.
"By contrast he has the mentality that winning isn’t crucial and at
nearly 70-years-old he has just won a Super Cup and other small
tournaments. He is too old to change his mentality.”
From a technical point of view, Mourinho is not wrong. In 21 years
of management, and having bossed notable squads such as Fiorentina,
Valencia (twice), Atletico Madrid, Chelsea, and now Juventus,
Ranieri has won no major honours, picking up just a domestic cup in
Italy and Spain, as well as a European Super Cup. In simple terms,
Ranieri, at nearly 57 (not 70 as was deliberately over-exaggerated)
is a ‘loser’, while the much younger Mourinho is a ‘winner’.
Nevertheless, Mourinho’s attack on Ranieri was nothing short of
shameful. You will not find a nicer person in football than the
Roman, who is even a much-loved figure in England despite the
country’s partial distrust of Italians. Ranieri’s reply to Mourinho
was classy, as he looked to end the war of words, but he did
include a swipe which perfectly resembles many people’s feelings on
the matter.
“Mourinho has shown everyone what he is really like by unveiling
his true personality and what he thinks of his colleagues,” he
stated.
The Tinkerman is quite right. Mourinho has waltzed into Italy, just
as he did in England four years ago, with this attitude of “I am
the best, and the rest of you are worthless”. This will only make
Inter even more unpopular than they already are, and more
importantly from Mourinho’s personal point of view, in the
long-term, it threatens to damage his legacy. Mourinho is chiefly
in the management game for personal glory. Once he has succeeded in
Italy, he will move on to Spain to try and complete the clean sweep
of Europe’s top domestic leagues. He will then finish off his
career by attempting to win on the international stage, probably
with his own country Portugal. This is the ideal path that Mourinho
has obviously drawn out.
The tactician is at risk of alienating himself from the community
and becoming a Billy no-mates. He needs to value his colleagues,
learn to be graceful in defeat, and remember that he is not the
only world class manager in the world. Earlier this week, former
Inter and Italy goalkeeper Walter Zenga also hit out at Mourinho
for his trumpet-blowing antics, and it is only a matter of time
until the whole Calcio community turns against him.
Would a less controversial and more considerate Mourinho make him
an inferior manager? It is unlikely. At the end of the day, some
good manners are hardly going to rob him of his tactical powers. As
Aretha Franklin said: “All I'm askin'…is for a little
respect!”
What are your views on this topic? Should Mourinho show a bit more
respect to his colleagues and fellow coaches? Is he in danger of
alienating himself from the Calcio community? Is he risking how he
will be remembered when he eventually retires?