The Mourinho Thread

[Phil Driver 503]

The person to blame for an unbalanced squad and for giving long term contracts to players not good enough is down to Michael Emenalo ,lets be honest our transfer policy has been dreadful of late we have not signed greats like Lampard,Drogba,Makelele,Essien,Robben,Carvalho etc for a while now and this squad is Ememalo's more than anyones as mananger after manager was undermined by the club while signings were seemingly made at board meetings . How can a man whose managerial experience amounts to girls football in America put a squad together.

Is Chelsea coach Michael Emenalo any good? Better ask the girls... Michael Emenalo's rapid promotion to the post of Carlo Ancelotti's assistant at Chelsea came as a surprise but the Nigerian's limited coaching experience may be ideally suited to the Premier League's diva-studded world of tantrums and tiaras.

Image 1 of 2

Girl power: Michael Emenalo led Tucson Soccer Academy's U12's to the final of the Arizona State Cup

By Rory Smith

7:45AM GMT 23 Nov 2010

Comment

After all, the last time he took to the training field Emenalo was in charge of a group of 11-year-old girls.

Emenalo, 45, was taken to Stamford Bridge as chief scout in 2007 by the then-manager, Avram Grant, straight from the Tucson Soccer Academy in Arizona, where he had been in charge of the '96 Girls side – the school's under-12s – for little more than a year.

Even that seemed a strange appointment for a man who had enjoyed a successful, if hardly glittering, professional playing career, which peaked with his inclusion in Nigeria's squad for the 1994 World Cup. If his club employers were rather less distinguished – he had spells in the United States, Belgium and Germany, as well as a brief stint at Notts County, before retiring in 2000 after two years at Maccabi Tel Aviv, then coached by Grant – his coaching CV was even less impressive.

Though the current West Ham manager offered him a post in Tel Aviv after retiring, Emenalo's only previous bib-and-cone based experience was a year as a volunteer coach at Virginia Tech university in Blacksburg.

"Michael arrived in Tucson because it was his wife's [Erin Fahey, also a coach] home own," said Charlie Kendrick, a colleague at Tucson academy. "As soon as we heard people of their experience at such high levels were around, we took the opportunity to have them work with our kids. We could not miss that chance."

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It was clearly a task Emenalo relished. In a statement published on the Tucson academy website after his appointment as director of player development, he indicated that he saw his responsibility as "pre-formation training".

"It ensures that the player, at a formative age, is presented with the right soccer information and training before bad habits, and inexperienced coaching set in," he said. "It is our collective experience that a young player cannot excel in soccer unless he/she can completely master and dominate the ball.

"To gain that mastery, it is crucial to start early. It is also our intention to recreate the 'street soccer' credential by providing a safe, fun and culturally relevant environment that encourages more spontaneity and freedom of expression with the ball."

Such a philosophy may come too late to turn John Terry into Ronaldinho, though the former England captain and his team-mates would do well to note that Emenalo's methods bear fruit, as proved by the Tucson academy side who came under his wing.

That under-12s side finished the 2007-08 campaign – under the guidance of Emenalo's replacement, Charlie MacCabe – as runners-up in the Arizona State Cup. Little wonder Emenalo is remembered as fondly in Tucson as he is at Boston University, where he played as a student and is included in the Hall of Fame.

"We do not really have a soccer culture in America," said Kendrick. "So maybe people at the time did not realise how lucky they were to have someone of his calibre working with their children.

"Maybe now they see that he has got such a big job, they will. Those of us who worked with him are all rooting for him. If anyone deserves success, it's Michael."

[kellzfresh 7,229]

The person to blame for an unbalanced squad and for giving long term contracts to players not good enough is down to Michael Emenalo ,lets be honest our transfer policy has been dreadful of late we have not signed greats like Lampard,Drogba,Makelele,Essien,Robben,Carvalho etc for a while now and this squad is Ememalo's more than anyones as mananger after manager was undermined by the club while signings were seemingly made at board meetings . How can a man whose managerial experience amounts to girls football in America put a squad together.

Is Chelsea coach Michael Emenalo any good? Better ask the girls... Michael Emenalo's rapid promotion to the post of Carlo Ancelotti's assistant at Chelsea came as a surprise but the Nigerian's limited coaching experience may be ideally suited to the Premier League's diva-studded world of tantrums and tiaras.

Image 1 of 2

Girl power: Michael Emenalo led Tucson Soccer Academy's U12's to the final of the Arizona State Cup

By Rory Smith

7:45AM GMT 23 Nov 2010

Comment

After all, the last time he took to the training field Emenalo was in charge of a group of 11-year-old girls.

Emenalo, 45, was taken to Stamford Bridge as chief scout in 2007 by the then-manager, Avram Grant, straight from the Tucson Soccer Academy in Arizona, where he had been in charge of the '96 Girls side – the school's under-12s – for little more than a year.

Even that seemed a strange appointment for a man who had enjoyed a successful, if hardly glittering, professional playing career, which peaked with his inclusion in Nigeria's squad for the 1994 World Cup. If his club employers were rather less distinguished – he had spells in the United States, Belgium and Germany, as well as a brief stint at Notts County, before retiring in 2000 after two years at Maccabi Tel Aviv, then coached by Grant – his coaching CV was even less impressive.

Though the current West Ham manager offered him a post in Tel Aviv after retiring, Emenalo's only previous bib-and-cone based experience was a year as a volunteer coach at Virginia Tech university in Blacksburg.

"Michael arrived in Tucson because it was his wife's [Erin Fahey, also a coach] home own," said Charlie Kendrick, a colleague at Tucson academy. "As soon as we heard people of their experience at such high levels were around, we took the opportunity to have them work with our kids. We could not miss that chance."

Related Articles

• Ancelotti's fury at lack of 'control' over Chelsea

  22 Nov 2010

• Chelsea's power structure

  22 Nov 2010

It was clearly a task Emenalo relished. In a statement published on the Tucson academy website after his appointment as director of player development, he indicated that he saw his responsibility as "pre-formation training".

"It ensures that the player, at a formative age, is presented with the right soccer information and training before bad habits, and inexperienced coaching set in," he said. "It is our collective experience that a young player cannot excel in soccer unless he/she can completely master and dominate the ball.

"To gain that mastery, it is crucial to start early. It is also our intention to recreate the 'street soccer' credential by providing a safe, fun and culturally relevant environment that encourages more spontaneity and freedom of expression with the ball."

Such a philosophy may come too late to turn John Terry into Ronaldinho, though the former England captain and his team-mates would do well to note that Emenalo's methods bear fruit, as proved by the Tucson academy side who came under his wing.

That under-12s side finished the 2007-08 campaign – under the guidance of Emenalo's replacement, Charlie MacCabe – as runners-up in the Arizona State Cup. Little wonder Emenalo is remembered as fondly in Tucson as he is at Boston University, where he played as a student and is included in the Hall of Fame.

"We do not really have a soccer culture in America," said Kendrick. "So maybe people at the time did not realise how lucky they were to have someone of his calibre working with their children.

"Maybe now they see that he has got such a big job, they will. Those of us who worked with him are all rooting for him. If anyone deserves success, it's Michael."

WTF

[Stingray 9,441]

The person to blame for an unbalanced squad and for giving long term contracts to players not good enough is down to Michael Emenalo ,lets be honest our transfer policy has been dreadful of late we have not signed greats like Lampard,Drogba,Makelele,Essien,Robben,Carvalho etc for a while now and this squad is Ememalo's more than anyones as mananger after manager was undermined by the club while signings were seemingly made at board meetings . How can a man whose managerial experience amounts to girls football in America put a squad together.

Is Chelsea coach Michael Emenalo any good? Better ask the girls...

Michael Emenalo's rapid promotion to the post of Carlo Ancelotti's assistant at Chelsea came as a surprise but the Nigerian's limited coaching experience may be ideally suited to the Premier League's diva-studded world of tantrums and tiaras.

Image 1 of 2

Girl power: Michael Emenalo led Tucson Soccer Academy's U12's to the final of the Arizona State Cup

By Rory Smith

7:45AM GMT 23 Nov 2010

Comment

After all, the last time he took to the training field Emenalo was in charge of a group of 11-year-old girls.

Emenalo, 45, was taken to Stamford Bridge as chief scout in 2007 by the then-manager, Avram Grant, straight from the Tucson Soccer Academy in Arizona, where he had been in charge of the '96 Girls side â the school's under-12s â for little more than a year.

Even that seemed a strange appointment for a man who had enjoyed a successful, if hardly glittering, professional playing career, which peaked with his inclusion in Nigeria's squad for the 1994 World Cup. If his club employers were rather less distinguished â he had spells in the United States, Belgium and Germany, as well as a brief stint at Notts County, before retiring in 2000 after two years at Maccabi Tel Aviv, then coached by Grant â his coaching CV was even less impressive.

Though the current West Ham manager offered him a post in Tel Aviv after retiring, Emenalo's only previous bib-and-cone based experience was a year as a volunteer coach at Virginia Tech university in Blacksburg.

"Michael arrived in Tucson because it was his wife's [Erin Fahey, also a coach] home own," said Charlie Kendrick, a colleague at Tucson academy. "As soon as we heard people of their experience at such high levels were around, we took the opportunity to have them work with our kids. We could not miss that chance."

Related Articles

Ancelotti's fury at lack of 'control' over Chelsea

22 Nov 2010

Chelsea's power structure

22 Nov 2010

It was clearly a task Emenalo relished. In a statement published on the Tucson academy website after his appointment as director of player development, he indicated that he saw his responsibility as "pre-formation training".

"It ensures that the player, at a formative age, is presented with the right soccer information and training before bad habits, and inexperienced coaching set in," he said. "It is our collective experience that a young player cannot excel in soccer unless he/she can completely master and dominate the ball.

"To gain that mastery, it is crucial to start early. It is also our intention to recreate the 'street soccer' credential by providing a safe, fun and culturally relevant environment that encourages more spontaneity and freedom of expression with the ball."

Such a philosophy may come too late to turn John Terry into Ronaldinho, though the former England captain and his team-mates would do well to note that Emenalo's methods bear fruit, as proved by the Tucson academy side who came under his wing.

That under-12s side finished the 2007-08 campaign â under the guidance of Emenalo's replacement, Charlie MacCabe â as runners-up in the Arizona State Cup. Little wonder Emenalo is remembered as fondly in Tucson as he is at Boston University, where he played as a student and is included in the Hall of Fame.

"We do not really have a soccer culture in America," said Kendrick. "So maybe people at the time did not realise how lucky they were to have someone of his calibre working with their children.

"Maybe now they see that he has got such a big job, they will. Those of us who worked with him are all rooting for him. If anyone deserves success, it's Michael."

What a post Phil,

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

Edited November 29, 2013 by CHOULO19
Picture was a bit over the top.

[Rom2013 446]

My favourite game of Benitez era was the 1-0 against Corinthians, it was really a great performance.

We are already in the game number 12 I don't understand why that image references just the 11 first matches...

There is one thing that speaks for itself, you can discuss about tactics, about players, about what you want, but:

Porto (2002–2004)

• Primeira Liga (2): 2002–03, 2003–04
• Taça de Portugal (1): 2002–03
• Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira (1): 2003
• UEFA Champions League (1): 2003–04
• UEFA Cup (1): 2002–03

Chelsea (2004–2007)

• Premier League (2): 2004–05, 2005–06
• FA Cup (1): 2006–07
• Football League Cup (2): 2004–05, 2006–07
• FA Community Shield (1): 2005

Internazionale (2008–2010)

• Serie A (2): 2008–09, 2009–10
• Coppa Italia (1): 2009–10
• Supercoppa Italiana (1): 2008
• UEFA Champions League (1): 2009–10

Real Madrid (2010–2013)

• La Liga (1): 2011–12
• Copa del Rey (1): 2010–11
• Supercopa de España (1): 2012

Mourinho will be the best coach in the history of football and he is the best coach in the history of this club. He knows a lot more than you, the players, Abramovich. There is only one institution in the world with similar wins in the last 10/11 years: FCBarcelona.

If you want to compare Mourinho with any coach Chelsea had you don't know anything about football.

The day Mourinho leaves CHelsea he will go PSG, or he will return to Madrid or Milan, he can coach any club in the world and win.

If you want to win every game with kids with 21 y/o that's a little dificult. And even more if you want to beat the European Champions or Real Madrid.

In the last game we were already in the last 16. The league is much more important right now.

[Phil Driver 503]

No problem gald to educate you foreigners about what is happening at the club,if you need a translation ,online is very easy access.

[Sheva. 5,373]

In the last game we were already in the last 16. The league is much more important right now.

Decent points, until this. We weren't already in the last season, we needed a draw at least, and we got dominated all game. Fortunately, Schalke fucked up.

Also i agree the league is more important, but Mourinho played 9 of his usual starters against Basel. If it really wasn't that important then surely more changes would have been made.

[The Mak 4,459]

What a post Phil,

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

Well shiiiiiit, now I'm really intrigued on what that was! ...PM?

[The Skipper 20,609]

No problem gald to educate you foreigners about what is happening at the club,if you need a translation ,online is very easy access.

Lol.

So everything bad that's happening is Emelano's fault, but Michael gets no credit for bringing in the likes of Oscar, Ramires, Hazard, Cahill, Azpi etc. (basically rejuvenating a squad that was going downhill anyway) from you? Right.

[Sidzeret 2,257]

What a post Phil,

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

Well shiiiiiit, now I'm really intrigued on what that was! ...PM?

Me too

[Fernando 6,585]

The bashing of emanolo is silly.

He has done a wonderful job following the mandate of the owner.

Roman wants sexy fútbol, and youthful exuberance. But the structure he wants to build at the moment does not go hand in hand with Mourinho philosophy.

So it's not Mourinho fault or emanolo but the man who made the appointment.

[Sidzeret 2,257]

The bashing of emanolo is silly.

He has done a wonderful job following the mandate of the owner.

Roman wants sexy fútbol, and youthful exuberance. But the structure he wants to build at the moment does not go hand in hand with Mourinho philosophy.

So it's not Mourinho fault or emanolo but the man who made the appointment.

Smexi fútbol is the way to go.

That's why Roman made Jose boss second time around. Maybe he doesn't want to make Chelsea, Barcelona after all.

The basing of Roman is silly.

[Henrique 9,133]

Lol.

So everything bad that's happening is Emelano's fault, but Michael gets no credit for bringing in the likes of Oscar, Ramires, Hazard, Cahill, Azpi etc. (basically rejuvenating a squad that was going downhill anyway) from you? Right.

Its his fault the squad is unbalanced. Huge gap between grandpas (Lampard and Terry) and the new boys. You are talking about Azpi, but right now he is a right back playing as left back, because the team don't have a good replacement for Cole. Oscar was playing for Brazilian NT, Hazard was wanted by some big european clubs. I don't even have to discuss Cahill here, because if you want to praise a Sports Director for bringing an average defender to squad, feel free, but thats really insane.

I'm more concerned about lack of a proper DM ( I don't think Van Ginkel is the one), lack of full backs, lack of CM, and why the club is wasting money on players like Kevin De Bruyne, Moses and thousands of u20 players that will end up playing in Bundesliga.

Both Oscar and Hazard still dont have that winning mentality, that kind of fierce desire to be on the pitch to slay the enemy.

[Phil Driver 503]

Well the cv for Emenalo reads Notts County, Nigeria,girls team ,Avram Grant and and Chelsea his greatest achievement seems to be his ability to arse lick Roman ,if the squad seems unbalanced at the moment with too many similar players and gaps in other positions I place the blame on his work over the last few years not on the new manager . Ancellotti said he was not in control of the first team ,I want Jose in full control.

I do not see what qualifications Emenalo has to be Director of Football at Chelsea and the jury is still out on him. Lets leave it to serial winner and Champion manager not a girls team manager who got a break.

[AndersonBLUE 819]

Champions league is a tournament, it's about doing what's necessary to progress further. If this was a last 16 group tie, then yeah sure, moan and moan. But the fact is we have qualified and the league looks solid currently (4 points off aint bad in my book). And being Chelsea, we should never give up hope because we can achieve anything.

[Rmpr 8,977]

Actually I feel some people have issues with the sole fact Mourinho is experimenting with the squad at his disposal, and aren't even questioning the actual choices. Let's remind them the squad has been handled more or less well since Ancelotti's second season on many aspects: rotation, tactically, squad management etc... with a limited squad in terms of numbers or variety.

Mourinho has set up a ball recovery system, there's attacking patterns, as well as on set pieces. The homework has been made and there's relevant drills on paper. Because it's really something to take into account, Villas Boas had drills as well but it weren't working: it was a genuine harm to the team (high line without pressing), contrary to Mourinho's current set up which allows at least not to concede chances for fun (top 3 in the league for that).

Most of the work at the moment is about gel players together, mould* them into roles. Can't work wonders within a few months especially given the free license, and more generally, the clownesque sharing of duties which occured for more than 2 years

Hence why Mourinho is testing his players, looks at how they react if they start several games running or the opposite. Someone only there for the short term would field his best XI every week until getting the boot. That's what Di Matteo did, he knew he wouldn't last the season, reason why he fielded his best XI as long as players were fresh and other teams were still testing options

*: even if I don't like that word as Benitez pulled Oscar/Hazard inside out more than Mourinho will ever do with Mata. But Benitez's media & press fan club will never point that out, they prefer implying Mata would play wherever else in Europe's top teams (what is obviously wrong)

Yeah, I agree. But I also think he is still a bit lost and doesnt know our players that well yet...

Jose still hasnt found our best starting eleven, so he is experimenting and that will obviously result in huge ups and downs!

I have absolutely zero problems with it, but if he takes another month of two to figure out the best way to setup the team, it might be too late to try to win the title.