The Mourinho Thread

[bellion 170]

This 'betrayal" malarkey is being over hyped.

So, he indicates that what had been worked on in training and preperation wasn't carried out on the pitch.......loads of managers have said similar in post match interviews. Cannot see what is wrong with saying something like that.

Loads of managers mentioned being betrayed? I doubt it

[Rhino's Skin 972]

Loads of managers mentioned being betrayed? I doubt it

Yup....if something is worked on in training and not carried out on the pitch loads of managers say SIMILAR things....if that's the right word ;-)

Read full post instead of concentrating on one word

#readhisfullquote

[Jase 43,479]

What do you want me to do? name more? Ok I feel our entire back four has been doing their best despite no protection from the midfield and two aging players. Cesc has finally been exposed because we've not been playing well offensively. Teams are braver when they attack us because we don't trouble them enough on the attacking end and the more they attack, the more likely Cesc defensive frailties are exposed. Look the players are doing the best they can. I don't expect a work horses like Willian and Oscar to become offensive juggernauts overnight and save Mourinho's bacon. We don't have a Madrid side full of stars to make him look good.

Agree to disagree then. If they had shown some form of competency in their performances, we wouldn't be in such a desperate situation. And blaming the clueless attacking tactics (I don't disagree with the criticism) only goes so far because at the end of the day, it doesn't excuse the rubbish goals we have conceded this season.

[Jase 43,479]

Costa

Think you're being kind there. Costa looks more interested in fighting with other players and winning free kicks/penalties than doing the most important job - scoring goals!

[Stats 7,140]

Roman needs to choose one of the following 2 options right now:

1) Back Mourinho, come out in the press and say that he will not be sacked regardless of where we finish and there is 0 pressure on him now. Then go to Mourinho, tell him he's getting no money in January but will get a large amount in the summer to rebuild the squad and should from this moment onwards include at the very least 4/5 youngsters in every single match (RLC, Zouma, Kenedy and Baba should be 100% starters, Aina, Traore, JCS, Musonda, Kiwomya, Colkett and Dasilva should be getting lots of game time too) for the rest of this season and get rid of the under-performing older players (most of them) either by selling them (Fabregas, Oscar, Ramires), not renewing their contracts (Terry, Ivanovic) or even releasing them if noone wants them (Mikel).

2) Sack Mourinho, literally tomorrow. Put Steve Holland in charge or something and give him exactly the same instructions I mentioned above. Then get a manager in towards the end of the season or at the end of it.

I would do option 2 in a heartbeat. But to option 1, Kiwomya is awful and only has pace. His ceiling is L1 level. Colkett is interesting but is not ready for the first team although he starred for the youth last season, he would not handle the pace of the PL. DaSilva too is fantastic but he needs more time with the youth first as he is very dimunitive and would be very difficult for him imo. JCS is another good prospect but not ready to be playing in the PL. I know Mourinho is not good with youth but tbf to him and I have give him tons of criticisms, no other manager would bring those lot through right now because they are not ready. Imagine if we did play those youngsters then they started to play awful, that would have an adverse effect on the youngsters potentially.

Is Aina potentially ready for a role right now? Maybe. Musonda, I say certainly so. RLC, yes and has played some games but for some reason been completely marginalised and Traore I don't understand why we brought him back in the first place if we were never going to play him. Should have sent him on loan to a more advanced team than Vitesse because he has the ability.

My final thing in defence with Mourinho which is rare, if we did bring in a new manager I don't think we actually will see a change in the youth. RLC might get more sub appearances but I don't think he would be actually trusted with starts unless it is against dead rubber oppositions.

[El P. 1,354]

Carragher: "Either Mourinho leaves or a lot of these players have to go"

Or why not both, at the end of the season.

Costa, Fabregas and/or Oscar, Mikel/Ramires, Falcao, Ivanović.

I'm 50 - 50 for Mourinho leaving, I see changes in squad way more important.

Because I know there were times when we weren't so much dependable on coach. Hiddink arrived, Grant arrived, we played good. Di Matteo took us to UCL glory. Those are not so special managers.

When a player is great - he is great. No matter who manager is, as long as he plays and plays in his own (or similar) position.

[Viper22 2,418]

I would do option 2 in a heartbeat. But to option 1, Kiwomya is awful and only has pace. His ceiling is L1 level. Colkett is interesting but is not ready for the first team although he starred for the youth last season, he would not handle the pace of the PL. DaSilva too is fantastic but he needs more time with the youth first as he is very dimunitive and woudl be very difficult for him imo. JCS is another good prospect but not ready to be playing in the PL. I know Mourinho is not good with youth but tbf to him and I have give him tons of criticisms, no other manager would bring those lot through right now because they are not ready. Imagine if we did play those youngsters then we started to play awful, that would have an adverse effect on the youngsters potentially.

Is Aina potentially ready for a role right now? Maybe. Musonda, I say certainly so. RLC, yes and has played some games but for some reason been completely marginalised and Traore I don't understand why we brought him back in the first place if we were never going to play him. Shoudl have sent him on loan to a more advanced team than Vitesse because he has the ability.

My final thing in defence with Mourinho which is rare, if we did bring in a new manager I don't think we actually will see a change in the youth. RLC might get more sub appearances but I don't think he would be actually trusted with starts unless it is against dead rubber oppositions.

Oh for sure I agree. Musonda, RLC, Kenedy, Traore, Zouma and Baba are our youngsters that are ready for the first team and should be starting. The others I'd like to see in and around squads rather than wasters like Mikel, Ivanovic and Falcao and getting some games off the bench in the COC or EL if we even get that for some experience in the first team to remind them how far they need to develop. I didn't mean 'lots' of game time, that was the wrong phrase to use, but I think they're all ready for at least some game time throughout a season while spending most of their time with the youth team.

Maybe Brown over Kiwomya then but I personally quite rate him, time will tell!

[Special Juan 28,113]

Whole thing needs shaking up, that's why it's best if he goes. If he remains we will see things like Ivanovic remain at RB and Azpilicueta at LB. We will see the old pals act of Ramires and Mikel flitting between the starting 11 and bench and even to a point seeing the myth that is Oscar remain here. He has a one dimensional outlook, it means youth will not be integrated, it means the rigid and lifeless 4-2-3-1 will be alive and well and others team will continue to sniff us out before a ball is kicked.

Just do the right thing and sack him.

[manpe 10,861]

Carragher: "Either Mourinho leaves or a lot of these players have to go"

Or why not both, at the end of the season.

Costa, Fabregas and/or Oscar, Mikel/Ramires, Falcao, Ivanović.

I'm 50 - 50 for Mourinho leaving, I see changes in squad way more important.

Because I know there were times when we weren't so much dependable on coach. Hiddink arrived, Grant arrived, we played good. Di Matteo took us to UCL glory. Those are not so special managers.

When a player is great - he is great. No matter who manager is, as long as he plays and plays in his own (or similar) position.

If Jose remains the big question is can we trust him with rebuilding the squad though? I mean look at us now and look at the players we have let go. Those transfer moves don't seem like of someone who knows what he's doing, but in Jose's defence a big chunk of blame can be put on the board because I'm quite sure Jose never wanted such a thin squad. I'm certain he would absolutely LOVE to have viable options to replace some of the underperformers, but our squad is very thin and lacking quality options. However, when he did have a larger squad with better options, his handling of those players was simply abysmal, so the blame is still shared here.

I still have blind hope that Mourinho can come good and become our undisputed boss who drives us forward, develops proper playing style and promotes youth, but I just can't see it happening anymore

[Samuel. 5]

At this stage I see only two options:

(1) We keep the manager and overhaul the squad.

(2) We sack the manager and forget about stability.

I would personally let Jose construct a new team, and would let him do so every three years if that be what it takes to win again. Besides JT, our squad is mentally weak and they all crumble the second something goes against us in a match.

We need to establish a clear spine which is suited to playing direct football where we've always thrived.

[El P. 1,354]

If we sack Mourinho and stick with the same squad, we are in way deeper shit then now. This can go to a lot worse than this if we pick wrong choices. If only players could be "sacked".

I just don't think that manager has that much influence on our play, on our players and club in general as most of supporters do think. For Christ's sake, our players are not children! Mou this, Mou that, yadda yadda yadda. Talking so much about him, like he is the one playing on the field. You are player, you need bit of an instructions before some game, but THAT'S IT. Other things - you do on your own! You have your position, you don't need manager to tell you ALL the things you have to do.

Maybe it's different with Mourinho, his image is way bigger than normal manager... But he is still human being. Normal, ordinary human being.

I would maybe sack him for not having long-term potential, for disaster with full-backs, for his part in this insane summer transfer window (targeting impossible players), for buying wrong type of players etc. Surely not for "Hazard's not playing good because Mou defensive" (lol), surely not for "he sold all our good players and bought shits" (lol), surely not for "all attacking players are shit because of him" (lol).

Bad performances of THIS squad, which is worldwide-recognized as top squad, are way way more on them, than on Mourinho.

[bethos1 802]

At this stage I see only two options:

(1) We keep the manager and overhaul the squad.

(2) We sack the manager and forget about stability.

I would personally let Jose construct a new team, and would let him do so every three years if that be what it takes to win again. Besides JT, our squad is mentally weak and they all crumble the second something goes against us in a match.

We need to establish a clear spine which is suited to playing direct football where we've always thrived.

It's his third season here, he has had plenty of time to get the players he wanted.

[Fernando 6,585]

Bielsa is available. He may not be great but I'd love to see his type of coaching in the EPL

Me too, would love to see that madmen at least for a season or two.

I think he is like Mourinho, only good for short term but the difference is that he can leave us with an attack minded philosophy in a short time.

As oppose to Mourinho BS philosophy.

[El P. 1,354]

If Jose remains the big question is can we trust him with rebuilding the squad though? I mean look at us now and look at the players we have let go. Those transfer moves don't seem like of someone who knows what he's doing, but in Jose's defence a big chunk of blame can be put on the board because I'm quite sure Jose never wanted such a thin squad. I'm certain he would absolutely LOVE to have viable options to replace some of the underperformers, but our squad is very thin and lacking quality options. However, when he did have a larger squad with better options, his handling of those players was simply abysmal, so the blame is still shared here.

I still have blind hope that Mourinho can come good and become our undisputed boss who drives us forward, develops proper playing style and promotes youth, but I just can't see it happening anymore

Imagine if Pogba deal really did went through. Fabregas would be glued to bench.

EDIT: Transfers of Costa and Fabregas were good, actually. Not great, but good. Costa was promising in Atletico, can't blame him for wanting him here. Fabregas not so much in Barcelona, but he already played in Premier league and is proven player in league.

I blame Fabregas and Costa for not being good as expected, not Mourinho for bringing them.

[Fulham Broadway 17,306]

At this stage I see only two options:

(1) We keep the manager and overhaul the squad.

(2) We sack the manager and forget about stability.

I would personally let Jose construct a new team, and would let him do so every three years if that be what it takes to win again. Besides JT, our squad is mentally weak and they all crumble the second something goes against us in a match.

We need to establish a clear spine which is suited to playing direct football where we've always thrived.

Good first post Samuel.

Welcome by the way !