Many football supporters around the world think that Jose Mourinho is the best manager these days. Especially to those who’ve been supporting the Clubs that Jose managed. He’s been successful as he collected 7 League title in 4 different countries and also won 2 Champions League in his 13 years of his successful managerial career.
As it turns out, things work differently this year. After being trashed out by Borussia Dortmund in Champions League and only finished 2nd in La Liga, Mourinho and Real Madrid parted their journey before the season is over. So it’s quite interesting to assess how The Only One, with his fantastic achievement in his CV, failed miserably at Bernabeu in his 3rd season.
He’s the Mercurial One
This is not blaming game, in which I mean there’s no accusation on who’s wrong and who’s right. This is more to managerial style of Jose Mourinho. He doesn’t want any player thinks himself bigger than the other players, the club, and Jose Mourinho himself. So they have to “bow down” to the rules Jose implemented and there’s no special treatment. This is why Jose was successful during his tenure at Porto, Chelsea, and Inter because he was the star of the victory. He was the king. Yet Abramovich didn’t really agree with it.
Jose is the mercurial one. He has to do this in order to become the boss of everything so all the players will do his instructions. Sounds mad? but that’s what made him as successful as he is. However, in Madrid there’s a player who’s bigger than him: Iker Casillas. He’s bigger than everyone at Real (or Spain) at this moment. He’s the captain of World Cup winning team which is adored by, probably, most of people in Spain. He’s untouchable. And Jose didn’t like this of course.
We didn’t seem to realize this situation until Jose benched Casillas for Diego Lopez which burning speculation about internal conflict at Bernabeu. He also spoke to media that Diego Lopez is better than Iker Casillas. Worst, he stated that the first thing he should have done when he was appointed by Florentino Perez was: get rid Casillas, buy Lopez. That’s mad. Spanish people were very angry with this comment. But Jose is being Jose. Many people forget that he did the same to previous icon of Madrid: Raul Gonzalez. He let the Prince of Madrid, who was as admired as Casillas now, go to Schalke.
Motivational Limit
When he first arrived at Porto, Chelsea, and Inter, those clubs full of stars but they haven’t win the title under their previous managers respectively. So there’s habitual words said by Jose. Like, “you are the best (goalkeeper/defender/midfielder/striker) in the world” to certain players just to motivate them. Also word like “you’ve won nothing, but you can win everything if you want to” something like that. And it worked time to time.
In Real Madrid, things aren’t just the same. Jose can’t say those aforementioned words to Real Madrid players as they are bunch of Champions already, especially Iker Casillas and his Spanish compatriots who’ve won World Cup. I firmly believe if anyone says to Iker: “you’re the best goalkeeper in the world” it’s nothing sort of motivational words but Iker would only take that with pinch of salt. To some players who’ve won nothing like Oezil, Khedira, Diego Lopez, Varane, et. al., this might be working. But for the stars, it is not.
Lack of Appreciation
I’ve been told by my friends who’ve been studying in Spain that, everyone who works at Real Madrid, from the management, the players, to even the cleaning services, think they work for the best football club in the world. That’s probably true though. No matter how great a manager beat the unbeatable arch rival, Barcelona’s Guardiola which was dubbed as the best football club in history, it’s regarded as something usual for Madrid. Albeit Jose successfully won the league after impressive season record by reaching the highest points in Madrid history, still it’s not a spectacular thing in Real Madrid’s eye. It’s their tradition. Real standard is really high. In Real, winning a trophy is something that many coaches can do so Mourinho didn’t really get the credit he deserves.
Egos of Galacticos
As I previously pointed, this Real Madrid team consists of various stars. Historically, Real Madrid is known for always buying stars and breaking the bank. Not just this season as it’s Real’s tradition. If Casillas already won a World Cup and Cristiano won Ballon D’Or once, how about the others who’ve won nothing, like Oezil and Khedira? Doesn’t matter. They’re all stars too. Once a player have joined Real Madrid, he’s a star. There’s no such thing as mediocre in Bernabeu (at least they think so).
If I said that buying stars is Real’s tradition, the bad impact followed by buying stars is their tradition too. Even some decline and underperformed players still think themselves as stars. Act like stars. In fact, some of them are actually nothing but bunch of garbage (i.e. Pepe et. al.). Their arrogance is there, and it’s massive. Their egos have been Real first problem and it makes any coach feels difficult to handle them.
Jose Mourinho is well-known as a manager who has the biggest ego in football. He’s an outspoken person who, sometimes, saying things too frank that it leads him into many troubles. But that doesn’t stop him being outspoken because that morality is what drives him to success. And when he came to Bernabeu, I believe that one day this clash of egos will happen. And that’s it. We see this happening. The battle between stars is happening now. As a result, the team is underperforming in all competitions.
That’s what I think on Jose Mourinho early departure from Bernabeu. I love Jose Mourinho and I don’t like Real Madrid but those opinions are the objective truth. Real Madrid, with their extraordinary history, (think they) are bigger than Jose Mourinho. It’s the fact that Jose Mourinho afraid to admit. But doesn’t matter as this leads to his imminent return to Stamford Bridge, hopefully.
