The Mourinho Thread

[Rhino's Skin 972]

From prestige, CL is certainly valued more, but for players, domestic leagues could have bigger role. Much more effort is put in there and consistancy plays huge role.

I dislike the format of CL because one game in the end dictates who is the winner. Its very dramatic but not as fair imo. Everyone should play everyone and the one that makes most points at the end is the CL winner.

Now we are getting into proper European league territory. Might happen one day

Champions of Europe or Champions of England. Hmmm, which sounds better.

[Rhino's Skin 972]

Actually Sky cannot afford to beat BT's bids...Sky wanted both but BT has more money.

And let's just agree to disagree because I think having a CL title is the best. Not saying winning the PL is crap because it's a magnificent achievement, but not everyone in Europe watches the PL, while it's different with CL. More TV audience across Europe.

so what about TV audience and champs league.

The PL means more to any top team support in England.

In Chelsea FC case, walking to the ground from West Brompton, Fulham Broadway or Parsons Green....getting the buzz, feeling the excitement, smelling it.......Its what drives the home support for every league match week after week, year after year, win lose or draw. Its different and better than the CL matches where they sort of interfere with what we are used to.

Mourinho, the players and other clubs managers and players understand this...the bread and butter, the loyalty shown.

CL will always be a poor second

[BlueLyon 9,359]

Earlier in the day you said that Guardiola was owned two times in the CL semis with Bayern which shows his naivety and now you're saying whole format of the competition is wrong ... :?

What has format to do with manager adoptation? Atm everyone is playing in same system of CL. Some managers have done better some worse. But all are in same situation. Guardiola couldnt adopt to the situation in past two years of CL semis. Its my opinion that system is wrong, but fact is that all managers play in same system and some did better while some didnt. Guardiola was indeed naive because he didnt change tactics thinking real madrid was beatable like Frankfurt and Nurnberg and similar clubs Pep played week in week out in buli.

[Rhino's Skin 972]

....what are you talking about? We have Stamford Bridge games in the Champions League too, it's not exclusive to the PL.

"Sort of interfere with what we're used to?"...what kind of nonsense is this. Champions League has been around since 1955. Chelsea has been in the CL for over a decade, how can it interfere on what we're used to? We should be used to it by now. Long time ago.

Stop using Mourinho, the players and other club managers because they don't support your argument as they ALL dream of playing and winning the Champions League. You think Hazard would come to Chelsea if we weren't in the Champions League?? Or any world class player for that matter. That's why teams like Spurs and Liverpool are dreaming every year to get that top 4 spot.

Poor man's second my ass.

They all dream about winning the PL first and foremost.

A CL game at the bridge is nothing like a PL one......the build up, the atmosphere etc...not a patch. Read my post again. Where did I say we didn't have CL games at the bridge?

Mourinho and other managers understand the English fans mentality towards supporting their club in PL over country or CL.

but as you know best...ask any supporter whether they went just once or to every home and away what they would have preferred last season if it was straight choice between the two........CL wouldn't get many votes

[kmk108 1,186]

They all dream about winning the PL first and foremost.

A CL game at the bridge is nothing like a PL one......the build up, the atmosphere etc...not a patch. Read my post again. Where did I say we didn't have CL games at the bridge?

Mourinho and other managers understand the English fans mentality towards supporting their club in PL over country or CL.

but as you know best...ask any supporter whether they went just once or to every home and away what they would have preferred last season if it was straight choice between the two........CL wouldn't get many votes

It depends on the player/manager/situation.

After the 2006 title, focus shifted to winning the Champions League. We had won two leagues since the takeover, and winning the Champions League became the big focus. If I remember correctly, the big reason Ancelotti was brought in was because of his European success.

I think the big reason Hazard signed for us was because we won the Champions League.

Players want to play Champions League football, especially the players that aren't from England.

Last year, I got the general feeling that the focus was on winning the league again, disregarding the Champions League. I got a general feeling that this year's focus was going to be on the Champions League.

[Rhino's Skin 972]

It depends on the player/manager/situation.

After the 2006 title, focus shifted to winning the Champions League. We had won two leagues since the takeover, and winning the Champions League became the big focus. If I remember correctly, the big reason Ancelotti was brought in was because of his European success.

I think the big reason Hazard signed for us was because we won the Champions League.

Players want to play Champions League football, especially the players that aren't from England.

Last year, I got the general feeling that the focus was on winning the league again, disregarding the Champions League. I got a general feeling that this year's focus was going to be on the Champions League.

I mentioned earlier that after the league has been won a number of times ( for me ideally 3 on the bounce) then by all means the CL could become more important for one year.

I think you are mistaken though if you think Mourinho and the Chelsea board prioritised the CL over the PL during the close season. Of course as it happens things might be different now but I reckon virtually every supporter wanted us to retain PL over anything else this season

P.S. Hazard did sign for us because we qualified for CL again....but also we gave the best deal for him and agent fees over Utd and City

[Tomo 21,733]

I think the CL holds more value. It's the only competition you face the Real Madrids, the Barcelonas and the Bayerns and yes you have only one shot in the finals but that's why you have to bring your A game. And along you remain in the top 4, every year you have a chance of winning it.

It's rare for teams bar Real and Barca to win it. That's why we only won it once, Arsenal and City yet to have a sniff. While these same teams, already won the league in their history.

And when we won the CL, that year it felt so good to be called European Champions.

@Tomo - As for Club World Cup, because people barely know this competition exists I don't think it holds much value. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't go for it when we have the chance, it's a solid rare trophy to have in our cabinet.

That is fair, personally I prefer the PL but of course not devaluing the CL as its amazing to win.

A PL title is pure satisfaction of being the best team, ecstasy of it wears off then it turns to satisfaction (especially if you don't lift it the same day you secure it) but CL is unbridled joy for months.

Re the CWC, that should get more exposure imo, at the end of the day calling yourself world champions is no mean feat, in fact I'm gunna create an article about it.

[Rhino's Skin 972]

Well I don't believe you. I think it will be like a close call, almost 50/50. CL and PL are two great grand prizes. Stop undermining the CL, it's a title every team in the Europe will be proud of. And the recognition of a team winning it is HUGE compared to the PL.

They most likely say that because it's easier to win the PL then to win the CL. You don't want to reach the final, only to lose.

not undermining it at all...just saying that most supporters would put PL first .

Get amongst the support pre match for a PL game and hear it for yourself because you are so wrong about 50/50

Then its better to be in CL as PL champions anyway.

Players would still sign because you have won PL and qualified.

I would love this club to win PL 3 times on the trot (a very rare achievement and very difficult). That would mean so much more than a cup competition.

But what about the other Euro cup??....the one that Mourinho pooh poos!..Where does that stand in prestige?

However if Europe went for European leagues then thats different

[Atlas Lion 1,223]

League title over anything else for me. Champions League is just a bonus. Win the league and CL and you are proper European Champions.

[Belgiannutt 3,201]

It really all depends on what you prefer. They're two very different competitions.

Personally i prefer the CL. Margin for error is smaller. When you head into the knockout rounds 1 poor performance can seal your fate. Only have 2 games so you gotta make them both count.

Also i simply find it more prestigious due to the opponents being better. Bayern, Barcelona, Real Madrid. We don't even have one team of that type of quality in the PL let alone 3.

[OhForAGreavsie 5,891]

FIFA Club World Cup is also a new tournament, introduced in 2000. Which is why nobody has heard of it or doesn't get the exposure unlike other competitions. Not to mention it's like 2 matches for whoever won the CL? And you're playing against unknown teams. Who has heard of San Lorenzo (Real's opponents last tournament)?

Being World Champions with the CWC just isn't as big as being European Champions at this point.

Have you asked? Have you got any proof that "I am so wrong?" apart from just yourself?

We finished 6th in 2012, but because we won the CL and FA Cup that year, finishing 6th can be easily be overlooked.

Yes I agree winning 3 PL titles in a row is difficult, but guess what? Winning the CL back to back is even harder. No team has been able to win CL back to back ONCE, while United already won the league 3 times in a row.

I've seen the question of whether Chelsea fans would prefer to win the Premier League or the Champions League many times on various forums and have also heard it discussed during radio phone ins. To my recollection, on every single occasion, a comfortable majority has voted for the Premier League. The domestic title is certainly my preference, and the gap is huge. If we'd won the league 5 times in a row, I'd still take a 6th win over another Champions League. Of course I'd prefer both but if it has to be just one then Premier League every time.

I do agree with you though about the CL being a great competition and about the fact that no one has retained it being evidence of how tough it is to win. I sometimes hear people of my generation yearning for the good old days of the Champion's cup. In my opinion their memory is playing tricks on them. For me, the old 4-and-a-half round*, straight knock-out, Champions Cup, with its entry padded out by the cannon-fodder domestic champions of weaker nations, was a Mickey Mouse competition compared to the Champion's League.

In fact those that would like to bring back the knock out version have forgotten that, back then, it was a commonly held view that the old UEFA Cup was a harder competition to win because of its greater strength in depth of top quality sides. The early rounds of the Champions Cup were a joke. Although people often forget now, the draw was seeded so the good teams often battered their opponents in the first two rounds and the competition didn't really get going till the quarter-finals (3rd round) in March. On only twice during their dominant spell did Liverpool draw good sides before Christmas. They went out on both occasions.

* I say 4-and-a-half rounds because, on the luck of the draw, some of the better clubs would get a bye into the second round, as Liverpool did in one of the seasons when they won the competition.

[OhForAGreavsie 5,891]

It really all depends on what you prefer. They're two very different competitions.

Personally i prefer the CL. Margin for error is smaller. When you head into the knockout rounds 1 poor performance can seal your fate. Only have 2 games so you gotta make them both count.

Also i simply find it more prestigious due to the opponents being better. Bayern, Barcelona, Real Madrid. We don't even have one team of that type of quality in the PL let alone 3.

But that also makes it easier to win. A bad day at the office by one of the better sides and they're out, so clearing the path for other teams.

[ZOS 580]

I want to know TC members opinion on the following

1) do you accept the assertion that Chelsea under Jose are always too cautious when facing any team as good or better than Tottenham!?

2) do you thhink Jose will ever change?

3) do you not mind Chelsea being so passive all the time in big games ? do you want that to be part of chelsea's identity?

[Rhino's Skin 972]

@ mana

Yes...I have asked. Meet and know hundreds of supporters before and after matches. Home and away....including some great trips abroad for CL matches or indeed other Euro ones.

I know the PL is the main prize for them........so going on your answer ...onviously you havent asked

[11Drogba 2,000]

Domestic titles attract only plastics and local losers. CL is the most important competition for football clubs.

[Rmpr 8,977]

Domestic titles attract only plastics and local losers. CL is the most important competition for football clubs.

Honestly, I think its the contrary. Donestic titles usually attract real fans of the league while UCL only attract around the world gloryhunters...

[Rhino's Skin 972]

Domestic titles attract only plastics and local losers. CL is the most important competition for football clubs.

Actually as far as attracting the so called 'plastics' ....its most probably the CL that does that as that has a bigger audience.

Fail to see your point about calling supporters ' local losers'

[11Drogba 2,000]

'

Donestic titles usually attract real fans of the league

You mean the "real" fans of United from London and other cities because Ferguson won CL two times in 26 years, or the recent "real" fans of City and PSG?