Mourinho, You Asked For It!

So, the world is still reeling from the shock dismissal of Jose Mourinho from Chelsea F.C. Yes, I say 'dismissal' because the official statement had the words "mutual consent".

Anyway, Mourinho has since been reported to claim that John Terry, someone the world thought was one of his most trusted lieutenants, backstabbed him and convinced the board to boot him in the arse. And I have heard many who are branding John Terry a rat, a weasel, an ingrate and some other unmentionables.

But really, who is to blame for this?

It could well be you, Mr Mourinho!

Who was the one who had encouraged John Terry to stand up for what he believed to be right? Even in the face of any confrontations with the boss?

We know the history of John Terry. He was once a hoodlum, before his supposed turning over a new leaf, leading both Chelsea and England to further honours. (well ok, not with England) But he has shown increased aggressiveness recently on the field, and it probably stemmed from the encouragement of Mourinho - a side effect of his earlier advice.

Thus when Mourinho started questioning his fitness, Terry the man, the proud man and player, would definitely not have stood for any of it. He believes that he is fit. He believes that he is the best. Even Mourinho should not question his abilities.

And seeing how the team has stuttered of late, Terry believed the Mourinho empire was crumbling. And it was time to make a move, before any future personal glories could be jeopardised.

And so, he went to the Chelsea board. The rest, as they say, is...

... History.

Jose Mourinho A Classic Case Study Of Knowing When To Quit?

Throughout his career, Mourinho has shown a willingness to quit when the going gets too rough i.e. he is not allowed to do anything he wants, team-wise.

Here's a good post on this:

Jose Mourinho Hits The Seth Godin Dip

There's some breaking news that he had a heated exchange with John Terry, who happened to be one of his favourite sons in the club. So, shocking, shocking.

Jose Mourinho To Join Liverpool

Well, where else can he go?

Or to be exact, it's the best move for him now after leaving Chelsea. Because there is no other club bigger in the world than Liverpool. If there is only ONE club which you should manage in your soccer managerial career, it is none other than Liverpool. The most successful soccer club in the whole world. The club with the world's best set of fans. The club that understands its manager. And will let him handle team matters totally, without interference.

Of course, there's the matter of Rafael Benitez. A good manager and servant to the club. However, he has shown that he cannot deliver any trophy except cups, unless the team happens to be in Spain.

Therefore, I'm sorry Rafa, you should leave to make way for The Special One.

Mourinho - The True Story (The Book Jose Mourinho Tried to Ban)

I actually got this book on Chelsea manager, Jose Mourinho, quite a while back and finished it quite fast. Given that I am not known for finishing books, this is quite an achievement.

Said to be the book that Mourinho did not want anyone to read, due to the extensive interviews and research that author Joel Neto did on his subject, it was a fascinating read that was quite well-paced, surprisingly engaging (despite it being a biography) and provided quite a number of insights on the man himself. Now, I love the guy for his witty sarcasm and apparent arrogance (hey he always walks the talk so how can you hate the guy?) but he was never the coach he is now, during his early managerial days. Read the brief below and get the book for a great read.

"Cool, calculating and extraordinarily talented, Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho is as obsessed with his image as he is with success itself. So when Joel Neto's brilliant biography exploded on the scene in Portugal last year, his first reaction was to reach for his lawyers.

Twice he tried to have the book banned by the courts, and twice the judges threw out the case against Neto's probing and perceptive analysis of soccer's hottest property.

Here, then, is the inside story of the life of Jose Mourinho, told by the people who have known him best. It is the book he didn't want you to read."