02 Aug 2015
Jose Mourinho – The Marmite Manager
The facts say that Jose Mourinho’s record of success is up there with the very best. So what is it that makes Mr Mourinho “the special one”?
There are probably lots of answers, but he unquestionably adheres to the KISS principle – Keep It Simple Stupid. No square pegs in round holes. No fancy, complicated tactics. Play players who are talented, but who have to work hard, be disciplined and do their job. Compact space and make it difficult for the opposition to score. Make the best of attacking set pieces. Get the ball into the opposition box where goals are scored. Understand and exploit the opposition weaknesses and nullify their strengths.
This is a great documentary that explores the enigma, wrapped in a puzzle that is the Marmite Manager – Jose Mourinho.
Jose Mourinho was born on the 26th January 1963. He had a very modest playing career playing 97 games and scoring 15 goals for 4 Portuguese second division clubs, Rio Ave, Belenenses, Sesimbra and Comercio e Industria from 1980 – 1987.
His father, also called Jose was a professional footballer, playing for Os Belenenses and Vitoria de Setubal and earned one cap for Portugal. His father was his coach when he started his professional playing career at Rio Ave and there is no doubt that his father has been a driving influence on his coaching career.
He studied Sports Science in the Technical University of Lisbon and attended coaching courses in the UK. He also worked as a Physical Education teacher.
In 1992, he became the Interpreter for one of his main coaching mentors and major influences, Sir Bobby Robson who had been appointed the new Manager of Sporting CP. Bobby Robson obviously admired the young Jose and took him to FC Porto, where Robson enjoyed great success and then onto Barcelona where Jose gradually had a greater involvement and influence, not only translating but planning training sessions and working with players on tactics and analysis of opponents. Robson and Mourinho’s styles complemented each other: the Englishman favoured an attacking style, while Mourinho covered defensive options, and the Portuguese’s love of planning and training combined with Robson’s direct man-management.
When Sir Bobby Robson moved on, Jose remained at Barcelona, now as Assistant Manager to the current Manchester Manager Louis van Gaal.
Mr Mourinho was now on his way. Louis van Gaal gave him greater responsibility and he thrived and grew. The rest as they say is history. His first appointment as a Manager was at Portuguese giants Benfica, but he was only there for a couple of months and 11 games, mainly down to a power battle with the President Vilarinho, which Jose lost and subsequently was forced to resign. Mourinho found a new managerial post in July 2001 with União de Leiria where he coached them to success and caught the attention of the bigger clubs again.
In January 2002, he joined Porto as Head Coach and quickly transformed the side and introduced radical and somewhat controversial new training methods, but they worked and Jose became a wanted man.
The documentary not only explores Jose’s record at Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan, Real Madrid and Chelsea again, but also what makes the man tick.
Uniquely and remarkably , Jose has won the League title at every club he managed from 2002, in 4 different countries. 9 Champion League Semi Finals and 2 Champion League winner medals at Porto and Inter Milan, 7 domestic Cup wins, 4 Super Cups, one Europa Cup and one World Club Championship. A truly fantastic record of success.