18 Responses to “Jose Mourinho Isn’t the Perfect Replacement for Alex Ferguson”

1. O’Neill is a great shout. I’d like to see him given a chance at United.

   reddwarf Mar 9th, 2009 -

2. Comments appreciated lads.

   peterswellman Mar 9th, 2009 -

3. Good article and some fair points.

   My response to them is that several of them are very questionable.

   Damien Duff – one of the best wingers in the world?! only if you’re Irish!

   Mourinho gave his wingers plenty of license to roam.

   To say that Mourinho would stifle players like Ronaldo is assuming something you cannot know unless you have a crystal ball and not something you can validate based on past performances.

   On transfers:

   The transfers you perceived as being poor are not solely down to Mourinho.

   At Chelsea, chief scout (and personal adviser to Roman) Piet de Visser and sporting director Frank Arnesen had a lot to do with several of the signings you mention.

   In addition, some of those signings were part of championship-winning teams, so how can you classify them as money that was wasted needlessly when they made contributions to win trophies?

   We won the league by a solitary point last season. Owen Hargreaves was injured for most of it, but made some vital appearances including one against Arsenal in which he scored. How can you argue against success? Without that free-kick we would not have won the league.

   The same goes for Del Horno and Tiago. They made a great contribution to Chelsea winning the title.

   On tactics:

   Jose won with style when he had the squad to do so and when he needed to, he adapted his tactics to get the job done.

   To read the phrase world-class with the names Emile Heskey and Bobo Balde is a comedic masterstroke.

   As a loyal red, I want the best possible candidate for to replace and that means Jose Mourinho.

   Martin O’Neil has done a very good job at Villa, but do we hear him talked about by the world’s top players? No.

   If you are an international football star, would you want to be managed by Jose Mourinho or MON? Would you want the club to be managed by a proven winner, who has done the business in England and Europe? Nuff said.

   One last thing – I did not say he is perfect, but he is the perfect candidate and much, much more suitable than Martin O’Neil.

   RFR Mar 9th, 2009 -

4. Firstly, nah, it’s just we saw alot more of duffer than you.

   With regards to license to roam. I don’t think he did to be fair. They ALWAYS had to be looking over there shoulder and paying attention to where the full-back ones in case a counter attack sprung.

   Regards Ronaldo, that’s opinion. Not saying it as fact.

   I don’t understand the inclusion of Hargreaves as a point. To me he’s a starter when he’s fit. Tiago was never a regular although he did do a job when called upon.

   As for tactics, he plays the same where ever he goes. His tactics haven’t really changed. he turned Chelsea into teh way he wnated them to play.

   There was a bit of humour intended with the Heskey and Balde. I was certainly using hyperbole. Heskey was simply brillant under O’ Neill same for Balde. He made ordinary players look sensational.

   Why not give MON a chance? United gave Sir Alex a chance, was he been spoken about by all the WC players?

   peterswellman Mar 9th, 2009 -

5. OK. If you can think that at any point in their careers, either Heskey or Balde looked sensational on a prolonged consistent basis, you are clearly arguing for the sake of it.

   As for MON, I mentioned him as well and think he is doing a very good job at Villa. I just simply can’t see him walking in to OT and taking over the present team. I think he would have to rebuild to gain the players’ respect.

   If you’re saying that Sir Alex wasn’t talked about by the top players when he took over and that’s why MON could do a job, I’d say you should take off the blinkers, because the top football players have changed a lot in the past two decades and if you don’t come with the right credentials and personality, the guys on 100k a week aren’t going to give a toss about you.

   RFR Mar 9th, 2009 -

6. Great post !

   Roxii Mar 10th, 2009 -

7. How much did Liverpool pay for Heskey? Then that’s how good O’ Neill made him look. He was banging them in for fun at Leicester. Balde was a part of a team that reached the Yefa Cup final and i’m a bloody Celtic supporter aswell so don’t dare say I haven’t seen him regularly. Under O’ Neill the two boys were quality.

   So turning a team from mid-table strugglers into Champions League squad isn’t a huge achievement? Have you seen O’ Neills man management. Sure they might not have the ebst opinion of him at the start but he has certainly the personality to help grow the trust among the players. he turns squads into a family who are willing to die for one another.

   Last point is so much rubbish, i’m not going to even start with it. Don’t have time.

   peterswellman Mar 10th, 2009 -

8. You mentioned that he deploys a 1 up top with 2 wingers system, thats not necessarily true, if you remember at Porto he had two strikers, Deco playing in the hole, three central midfield players, and 4 at the back with attacking full backs… a 4-3-1-2 formation

   When he started with Chelsea you may remember he implemented the same system with Drogba and Gudjonnsen up top, J. Cole in the hole, Lamps, Makalele and Tiago in midfield and a back four with the full backs (Bridge and Ferreria) having a bit of freedom… It was only the impact Duff was making from the bench and when Robben came back from injury that he ’stumbled’ upon his 4-3-3 formation!

   Now at Inter, he did sign wingers in Quaresma and Mancini… I dont watch any Italian football but from what I can see he certainly isn’t deploying wingers in his side and is playing two up top…

   He seems to be a manager who can adapt his selections and systems based on what he has and what is working,.. its clear our system based on a strong defence which he wont touch a creative midfield which has guile which he wont touch and an energetic and talented frontline which he would be foolish to touch!

   All in all I think he is THE man for the job, he’s the only person I can think of who simply wont crumble under the pressure and RFR yes there are idiots who THINK they could do a better job than Fergie, but I think Mourinho KNOWS he can, and would relish the challenge of emulating his managerial hero!!

   I reckon Fergie (who will have a hand in picking a replacement) will go for Mourinho!!!

   eoininho Mar 10th, 2009 -

9. One of the best posts ive read on here in a long time! Jose is just lucky. Oneil should be the man but my only concern is his age. what is he 58? we need a younger manager say Frank Rijkaard. Jose would get where a draft wouldnt!

   Busby-way Mar 10th, 2009 -

10. Yep, correct on all points. Mourihno has shown that he really wouldnt be good for United. Even at Chelsea he had to bring in several of his Porto players, and he’s even tried it at Inter with Quaresma. O’ Neill or no one.

    Justice Mar 10th, 2009 -

11. Also, to RFR, you are wrong on so many points. Those signing WERE terrible, they were literally carried by Didier Drogba and Petr Cech who ARE two of the best players of the last couple of years. You say Jose won with style? They played like Wimbledon, hoof it to the 6ft something tank and hope it goes in sometimes. Buy the best keeper in the world and as many Africans as the British Border Patrol can squeeze through to kick the ever living daylights out of anyone who thinks about attacking (ESSIEN AND MIKEL I AM LOOKING AT YOU).

    This is all without mentioning the vital fact that Mourihno sees youth talent as a distractiion. He NEVER played a youth player for Chelsea and very rarely plays Mario Balotelli, who under Mancini looked like the next big big thing. He would destroy the United tradition of developing the best youth talent around and instead demand more and more transfer funds from an AIG who are comfortable at best. They give us what we need, not the extravagance Mourihno would want.

    Justice Mar 10th, 2009 -

12. Thank you guys. happy my first article was at least cause for debate. Thanks for the comments.

    peterswellman Mar 10th, 2009 -

13. Justice – it is not true that Chelsea played route 1 / hoof it forward football in Mourinho’s first two seasons in charge.

    Duff and Robben were figments of our imagination and the fact that Chelsea outscored United by 14 goals in Jose’s first season also didn’t really happen?

    You can’t debate using facts, so you use fiction?!?!

    You mention those signings were terrible and yet they played their part in winning several trophies.

    You then mention Peter Cech and Didier Drogba. Do you credit Mourinho for those two signings?

    Also. the top scorers for Chelsea in the first season were Lampard and Gudjohnso ahead of Drogba. It’s a team game buddy. Even if you were to say Drogba scored important goals, so did Frank.

    According to you, Mourinho NEVER played a youth player when he was at Chelsea, but a paragraph before that aim criticism at Mikel!

    Also, Kalou turned 21 shortly after he joined Chelsea and featured 33 times in his first season.

    What about the marked improvement of existing payers AFTER Mourinho took charge. Nobody seems to be mentioning it.

    God knows, I hate Chelsea, but credit where credit is due and Jose Mourinho had a tremendous impact at Chelsea. What have they won since?

    If you are going to knock him at least do it with facts and not lies.

    RFR Mar 10th, 2009 -

14. Justice, Quaresma was not at Porto when Mourinho was there, he would have been at Barcelona at that point, he signed for Porto after Mourinho had left… there’s nothing wrong with bringing players you beleive in with you… Carvalho was hardly a bad signing!

    eoininho Mar 12th, 2009 -

15. Great write up dave. Im still undecided with Jose. I think he could do a fantastic job at United, whilst playing the United, attacking way. He would have top attacking players at his disposal so he would play them for sure. You mention some of his signings being poor, but that can go for every manager really. Some players just dont work out. Obviously someone like O’Neill, Moyes or even Bruce would be a great choice but I think Jose could do well and Id be happy enough if he were to become our next manager, (unless of course he keeps punching United fans lol)

    Good read all the same. I look forward to your next article.

    Jazz Mar 15th, 2009 -

16. Thank you mate.

    peterswellman Mar 16th, 2009 -

17. Interesting comments/article. Whatever the rights and wrongs of Jose’s reign at Chelsea I believe that he is a relatively young manager with the scope to grow into the job. As much as I like MO he hasn’t won anything or managed a top club and that does not put you in the frame for THE top job. I think the alternatives will be Jose or Rijkaard with Quieros as an outsider. I think that United will want someone for the long term to build their own dynasty (why change a winning formula) and will therefore choose a proven sucessful manager in their 40’s. United are now an international/Global team and Spanish/Portuguese/Italian speaker will be at a great advantage (rules out English candidates!).

    Obviously there are some concerns, the youth policy at United and the attacking philosophy, but I’m sure that Jose is smart enough to embrace these traditions. After all look at what the next manager will inherit, it’s mouth watering!

    KingRioRio Mar 18th, 2009 -

18. O’Niel as far as I’m concerned is the only realistic candidate for SAF’s replacement. Jose can go take a long running jump into something wet, he has no class, no style and no commitment. To say he is a great manager is a joke, he made the headlines through controversy and opinions that were so against the system, he was a journalists dream, not a supporters!!! He did well with Chelsea, of course he did, he had an open cheque book and some of the best players in the world, but that doesn’t make a team! In fact, calling Chelsea a team is also a joke! It’s a 2 ton bag full of 10 ton ego’s, and that bag is falling apart at the seams. That aint going to happen at the mighty Man U. If the Glazers decide he is the perfect candidate then I for one will be very dissapointed, I could even switch my allegiance to FC United, as many fans of our illustrious club have done so far. I DON’T WANT HIM. Can I make that point any clearer. My only second choice is that Phelan takes over under the guidance of SAF with Ole as assistant, I’d be happy with that……

    Carl Mar 28th, 2009 -

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