Mourinho criticism bodes well for new season

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Never one to be outdone, José Mourinho has wasted little time in demeaning Rafael Benitez's tenure as interim Chelsea manager.

Despite helping the Blues consolidate third place ahead of London rivals Arsenal and Tottenham, reach the semi-finals of both the FA Cup and the League Cup, and, of course, that late triumph in Amsterdam courtesy of the forehead of Branislav Ivanovic, Mourinho has hit out at his one-time rival.

Football is nothing if not cyclical. Mourinho, obviously, is returning to Chelsea for the second time. he arrives from Inter Milan, via Real Madrid. Benitez, the latest in a number of Stamford Bridge outgoings, replaced Mourinho at Inter and was then courted by Real - before they eventually settled on another ex-Blues boss in Carlo Ancelotti, who himself enjoyed a healthy rivalry with Mourinho's Inter while he was at AC Milan.

A "managerial merry-go-round", indeed.

The Special One has wasted no time in trying to erase the all memory Rafa Regime. It's hardly surprising, really. They don't like each other much. Mourinho has questioned the value of May's Europa League triumph. Whilst it is another European honour in the trophy cabinet - and consequently one that puts the Blues alongside the illustrious company of Bayern Munich, Ajax and Juventus as one of just four clubs to complete the set of UEFA silverware - the Portuguese has gone on record as saying to again compete in that competition would be 'a big disappointment'.

Though he famously led Porto back-to-back UEFA Cup (as it was called back then) and Champions League titles in 2003 and 2004 respectively, Mourinho has identified himself as one who is ahead of the curve and not merely 'one of the bottle'.

José Mourinho has become synonymous with the image of the allure of Champions League success. Despite coming close, but not quite close enough at both Real and during his first stint as Chelsea coach, he was able to sample the sweet, sweet taste of victory when he led his all-conquering Inter side to the title in 2010.

Mourinho clearly has his eyes set on the big-eared prize: 'that's the only European competition we have to play and that's the European competition we have to give our best'.

The Special One has also targeted a first Premier League crown since 2010 for the Blues in order for the West London outfit to reassert its dominance of the previous decade. Stating that it is only natural to wish to compete in what he describes as the 'world's best league', Mourinho has demanded an improvement on last season's third-placed finish.

This represents a reassessment of the mentality of Chelsea Football Club.

The club's league performance in 2011/12 and 2012/13 was, on the whole, largely unsatisfactory. Finishing sixth and third on the back of consecutive top-two finishes since 2004 (2008/09 besides, where the Blues were only just beaten to second by Liverpool) is, in comparison, a considerable backwards step.

Targeting the Premier League crown therefore represents a shift in the club's ideology. Whilst mid-term dismissals of Andre Villas-Boas and Roberto di Matteo later led to cup glory, in both seasons the side's league fortunes have faded away dramatically after positive starts - last season, for instance, the Blues were at one stage six points ahead of eventual champions Manchester United. Sir Alex Ferguson's side finished fourteen points ahead, ultimately; a swing of twenty points.

2011/12 was even worse; it was a case of all-or-nothing. Roberto di Matteo gambled horribly on the club's Champions League future by trying to qualify for the tournament automatically by winning it. Okay, so he pulled off the Italian Job, but what a futile endeavour it proved to be as the club nosedived out of the competition at the group stage. Furthermore, the club finished. rather embarrassingly, in sixth. That represents the worst-placed finish since 2002.

Aiming to win major trophies comes as part and parcel to a big club. With the greatest of respect to those who have followed in Mourinho's footsteps - Hiddink, Ancelotti, and Benitez excluded - this big club now finally has, once again, a big manager to lead it in the right direction.

Villas-Boas and di Matteo were both failed experiments that suffered from immaturity and a lack of managerial experience. Phil Scolari fared little better, such was the gamble of appointing a man who had only enjoyed success at international level. The cynic would say Avram Grant - someone we probably hadn't even heard of before the 2007/08 season - benefited from having the best squad in the club's history and the genius of Steve Clarke as his assistant, and yet he still failed to win a single piece of silverware.

Those managers lack the guile and charisma of Mourinho. His winning mentality is infectious. The x-factor he brings with him is something that can tip the scales for the betterment of the club. And his natural inclination to go for the "big ones" - namely the league crown and Champions League glory - represents a shift away from the papering-over-the-cracks attitude that has been evident since the demise of Ancelotti, and the adoption of a new all-or-nothing approach.

Mourinho doesn't just want to win. He has to win. The club described last season as a success thanks to winning what the Special One considers to be UEFA's B-list trophy; he would be ashamed to win a second-rate cup at a club like Chelsea. To him, another triumph akin to Amsterdam would be scraping the bottom of the barrel. The Special One wants more special moments at Chelsea, and whilst we all enjoyed the win over Benfica, it pales in comparison to toppling Bayern in their own back yard.

That difference in mentality will be the key in whether Chelsea can address the gulf in quality between themselves and the Manchester clubs.

Many bookmakers have installed Chelsea as at least joint-favourites for the Premier League title next season. The squad has been improved by the return of various loanees such as Lukaku and de Bruyne and of course the arrival of new faces, such as van Ginkel, Schwarzer and Schurrle - but there has been no marquee signing. There has been no serious signal of intent, such as United capturing van Persie last summer, or Barcelona's big-money move for Neymar.

The real difference is that it is José Mourinho back in the dugout. He is the major signing of the summer. The ultimate man-motivator, don't be surprised if he gets even the misfiring duo of Demba Ba and Fernando Torres firing again.

He won't settle for second-best, or somehow masking grossly underwhelming campaigns by ending up with a trophy. Of course, silverware is silverware, but Mourinho wants more than mere domestic cups. The fact he is targeting bigger and better things can only be of benefit to Chelsea Football club, and certainly bodes well for its supporters.

We're in for a whirlwind ride. Strap in, folks.

[Fernando 6,484]

Great article but I just laugh when you said "don't be surprised if he gets misfiring duo of Dema Ba and Fernando Torres firing again."

While I expect Mourinho to extract as much as he can from Ba, as he still got much to prove but Torres is dead!

And no amount of force on earth will get that slug back to his best.

[Fulham Broadway 16,920]

Love the way hes just had a dig at the fat cunt

"I don't want to win the Europa League, it would be a big disappointment for me. I don't want my players to feel the Europa League is our competition."

[bushman 2,043]

Jose likes to dig at others. However, I am not sure whether it is needed. After all, the season is over done with.

I would rather see him doing his job & get the team ready for the upcoming season.

[Barbara 15,149]

Jose likes to dig at others. However, I am not sure whether it is needed. After all, the season is over done with.

I would rather see him doing his job & get the team ready for the upcoming season.

I don't think he was digging at Benitez... but giving a reality check.

It was great to have won the title, especially because it was the only thing we won last season, but by no means we should feel it was a great accomplishment because it wasn't. Why do you think teams like ManUtd that failed in UCL during stage groups didn't bother to take EL seriously? Or do you think they didn't have good teams to pursue the title? A friend of mine who is a ManUtd fan said she wanted ManUtd to lose on EL as soon as possible because she wanted the team to focus on EPL in the previous season...

In their opinion EL is beneath them and I guess Mourinho feels the same about Chelsea and I wonder if he's right or wrong...

So while I'm happy we won, it's not something to brag about. Unless it's to Arsenal fans...

[bushman 2,043]

I don't think he was digging at Benitez... but giving a reality check.

It was great to have won the title, especially because it was the only thing we won last season, but by no means we should feel it was a great accomplishment because it wasn't. Why do you think teams like ManUtd that failed in UCL during stage groups didn't bother to take EL seriously? Or do you think they didn't have good teams to pursue the title? A friend of mine who is a ManUtd fan said she wanted ManUtd to lose on EL as soon as possible because she wanted the team to focus on EPL in the previous season...

In their opinion EL is beneath them and I guess Mourinho feels the same about Chelsea and I wonder if he's right or wrong...

So while I'm happy we won, it's not something to brag about. Unless it's to Arsenal fans...

Who said, it was a great accomplishment ? It was better than nothing.

As for Manures, I really do not care or wish to see Chelsea being compared to them.

Could Chelsea end better than 3rd in PL ? No, they could not.

Depleted, thin team that won EL & finished 3rd was as far as they could have done.

I am not bragging about EL trophy, I just feel it was not needed to diminish the achievement.

Oh well, we all know sometimes Jose says things..., likes to poke at others.

[Barbara 15,149]

Who said, it was a great accomplishment ? It was better than nothing.

As for Manures, I really do not care or wish to see Chelsea being compared to them.

Could Chelsea end better than 3rd in PL ? No, they could not.

Depleted, thin team that won EL & finished 3rd was as far as they could have done.

I am not bragging about EL trophy, I just feel it was not needed to diminish the achievement.

Oh well, we all know sometimes Jose says things..., likes to poke at others.

I get your point and you do have a valid one (on both instances - Mourinho personality and EL).

I guess what he aimed was still a reality check. The team may have been thin as you pointed, but still falling the UCL stage group last season was sort of too much (especially given the matches circumstances)... I guess what he wants is for the players more than anyone else to see that it shouldn't be acceptable this season - although it could happen again depending on the group.

[LayZ 201]

Remember the Joe Cole line from the Blue Revolution documentary?

He said that Mourinho's first statement in the dressing room was "You,you,you have won nothing..!"

That's how he starts at all his clubs, he likes to put the players in their proper places..let them know who's boss..

And let's be honest,we were on the verge of becoming like LIverpool fans with our 'transition year' excuses and our expectations from the club had been on a downward spiral over the last few years...

The point of this interview was to instill the belief in players and fans alike that great things should be expected of a club of the stature of CFC...belittling Benitez may not have been his sole intention...

KTBFFH... :blue scalf:

[bushman 2,043]

I get your point and you do have a valid one (on both instances - Mourinho personality and EL).

I guess what he aimed was still a reality check. The team may have been thin as you pointed, but still falling the UCL stage group last season was sort of too much (especially given the matches circumstances)... I guess what he wants is for the players more than anyone else to see that it shouldn't be acceptable this season - although it could happen again depending on the group.

Well, let me point out. Failing in the group stage was the worst of all. To win EL was certainly better than nothing.

Under Jose, Chelsea are not going to fail in CL group. Jose is too smart & too good for it.

[Barbara 15,149]

Well, let me point out. Failing in the group stage was the worst of all. To win EL was certainly better than nothing.

Under Jose, Chelsea are not going to fail in CL group. Jose is too smart & too good for it.

let's hope so

I'm very confident about the following season, I still this season will require a lot of adaptation and adjustment - but then again most teams seem to be adjusting this season, so maybe we could have some very nice results.

[bushman 2,043]

let's hope so

I'm very confident about the following season, I still this season will require a lot of adaptation and adjustment - but then again most teams seem to be adjusting this season, so maybe we could have some very nice results.

Nothing to worry, in Jose we trust. He just needs to apply his trade & Chelsea are going places.

Recently, he stirred up trouble between Moyless & Roonski. He is a master at these things.

I would not be too surprised to see Roonski ask for a transfer, soon.