Is Mourinho Still The Special One?

By Ekene Dike

The story never changes each time Jose Mourinho goes head to head against Jurgen Klopp. Once again a team under the tutelage of Jose Mourinho was outwitted by a Jurgen Klopp inspired team.

Liverpool won Tottenham 1-0 in order to continue their unbeaten run in the English Premier League. 

The head to head between the managers isn’t favorable for Jose Mourinho and more worrisome is the fact that Jurgen Klopp has defeated him in four different clubs he has managed so far. While at Manchester United, Jurgen Klopp was held culpable for Mourinho’s sack after he defeated the Special One 3-1 at Old Trafford.

The German has found the antidote to his rival’s tactical acumen. Saturday’s elusive victory over Tottenham was more than just a win for the Reds and it opened up speculations on whether Jose Mourinho is still as spectacular as he used to be.

However, his tenure at Manchester United wasn’t as remarkable as he would have wanted. The difficulty and inability to win the Premier League title was one of the cogent reasons that triggered his dismissal.

His prestige as a manager is embedded in the major trophies he has won. He conquered England with Chelsea and he was expected to repeat the feat with Manchester United. By acquiring the services of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Paul Pogba and Eric Baily to bolster the efficacy of his army, many people expected him to clinch the English Premier League trophy easily.

Ironically, he failed to do that and eventually blamed the board, players and lack of support for his failure to bring back the trophy to the Alex Ferguson stand. Apparently, he wasn’t able to fill into the cumbersome shoes left for him by Sir Alex Ferguson.

Furthermore, a cursory look can be done in his second spell as Chelsea manager. After winning the league in the 2014/2015 season, he was unable to impress in the next season. The cup was full and overflew after his team’s dismal performance against Leicester who eventually went on to win the title. Chelsea had no choice than to sack the Portuguese before things got worse for them.

The past sets up the emphasis for the present and the future.

Presently, his coaching at Tottenham hasn’t been so remarkable. His former employers have surprisingly found a way to maneuver victories against him. Manchester United and Chelsea have succeeded in compounding to the woes of the fading managerial guru. The notable defeat was against Chelsea. His mentee Frank Lampard motivated his young squad to win the game, Willian did the damage in the first half by scoring two goals.

It is evident that Jose Mourinho’s tactics are outdated and his title as the “special one” might just be snatched away from him sooner than later.

 And For More Nigerian News Visit GWG.NG