Jose Mourinho Sack Watch | Sacked per 19-04

[Djemba-Djemba]

He's still using the tactics he had in the 2000's that brought him so much success.

Be incredibly defensive and cautious, always be wary of the other sides strengths and work out a system to nullify and spoil their game, wait for them to make a mistake because they have more of the ball or a piece of individual magic from one of our players to score.

It worked for him back then of course but times change and he hasn't adapted. He increasingly looks like a relic.

 

[The Urban Goose]

Jenas on BBC Sport - you'd think he would've watched us under Mourinho once or twice, wouldn't you, the below is nothing new:

If they keep playing like that, I don't know what kind of season it is going to be - but it is not going to be an enjoyable one.

Tottenham just looked like a lot of very frustrated players with no direction, which is odd. Whatever you think of the way Jose Mourinho's teams play, they are usually well drilled in every detail.

This time, their players did not look fit - the difference in sharpness to Everton was huge - but, more worryingly, they did not look like they had even worked together before, or knew what their roles were on or off the ball.

 

[redIndianDevil]

I don’t think José knows how to motivate modern players. Early in his career he had players who, for the most part, didn’t develop with the comfort of massive contracts and financial security like many do today. It’s possible his us versus them, go through the fire, sacrifice your body type rhetoric doesn’t vibe well with multimillionaire men in their 20’s who don’t want to have a limp or be in daily pain when they retire. Some of his interactions with Hazard and Pogba, as examples, suggest this. It can work for a while but eventually will become exhausting.

Combine this with a generally more attacking style pervading the league and it’s no surprise his message gets lost, especially when there are other managers who can be just as demanding but offer a better environment and style of play in return.

He used to be able to look at his squads and tell them that if they do as he says they will win, I’m not sure that’s enough these days (or even particularly true!).

I’ll always love the guy, I’d back his first Chelsea team against any other I've ever seen, but I struggle to see how he makes it anywhere near back to the heights of his early career.

fecking bullshit. I really don't get people like you and other Mourinho fanboys, the man is a dinosaur, he is past it and refuses to get in with the times blaming everything but himself and his fanboys enable him too. The footballers have always been very highly paid especially in the times of Mourinho, its not like he started his career in the 70s, he had Abramovich dumping millions into Chelsea's players the first time around.

All the young footballers work extremely hard to get to where they are now, they all want to be the best, but when you have an idiot like Mourinho assembling expensive players and expect them to do his donkey work, obviuosly they are not going to do that, do you think Son or Alli or Moura want to chase back and defend all game? That is not their style or not what they worked hard for.

If Mourinho isn't going to change, he needs to shed his title winning image and stop buying talented footballers who are costly and start buying less talented work horses who are willing to do his donkey work. It's not long before he turns into Allardyce or Pulis type, yo-yo ing between relegation contenders.

 

[balaks]

It was an incredibly disappointing and worrying performance yesterday. I feel like all the hope I had for this season has gone after the first 90 mins. There appears to be an issue with mentality at the club - it's been like this for many years as you all know and has remained through several managers. The lack of fight and determination yesterday was unforgivable though, especially for the first game of the season. I'm very worried and if things don't dramatically improve soon Jose will be going but unfortunately I think if that happens then the NEXT manager will have exactly the same problems - something is rotten at the club and in the squad.

 

[Chief123]

as a side note, it’s funny but also kind of tragic seeing the Spurs fans go through the same denial curve most of us went through when he was our manager.

Having read the spurs forum, their thread on mourinho is like Deja Vu. It’s a carbon copy of the same we had here. The sensible ones saying how he’s a dinosaur and destroying the team. The fan boys arguing about his history and how it’s Levy’s and the players fault.

They are going through the painful churn before they get to the day where there is a realisation that Jose is completely finished.

 

[Chief123]

It was an incredibly disappointing and worrying performance yesterday. I feel like all the hope I had for this season has gone after the first 90 mins. There appears to be an issue with mentality at the club - it's been like this for many years as you all know and has remained through several managers. The lack of fight and determination yesterday was unforgivable though, especially for the first game of the season. I'm very worried and if things don't dramatically improve soon Jose will be going but unfortunately I think if that happens then the NEXT manager will have exactly the same problems - something is rotten at the club and in the squad.

Believe me, Jose going is the start of the solution. I was super happy when he became our manager. How I regret that. Jose will slowly destroy the team, dig players out, try to protect his credibility and blame everything and everyone except himself before he gets the inevitable sack.

 

[balaks]

Having read the spurs forum, their thread on mourinho is like Deja Vu. It’s a carbon copy of the same we had here. The sensible ones saying how he’s a dinosaur and destroying the team. The fan boys arguing about his history and how it’s Levy’s and the players fault.

They are going through the painful churn before they get to the day where there is a realisation that Jose is completely finished.

It's a mixture of both though isn't it - it's the players responsibility as much as the managers. There was a lack of determination yesterday on the pitch - that's on Jose and that's on the players. It's not a black and white thing.

 

[Chief123]

It's a mixture of both though isn't it - it's the players responsibility as much as the managers. There was a lack of determination yesterday on the pitch - that's on Jose and that's on the players. It's not a black and white thing.

We felt the same with our players. Martial, Rashford, Pogba all looked like they’re careers were finished. A shadow of themselves. Literally the first game under Ole they were totally different (even though it was only Cardiff). But the fact the positivity in the players was a complete change was telling.

Jose can grind the players to utter despair. Can you imagine the uninspiring tactics that gets drilled into them about playing negative football. Pogba used to call it out himself indirectly and complain how we weren’t playing the kind of attacking football we should.

Jose is brilliant at making the problem look like something other than him. He “was” a great manager. No longer is. It’s Arsene Wenger II.

 

[Kuba]

The Madrid job really did something with him psychologically speaking. I kinda knew back then he wasn't really a good fit there with the culture and politics et al and his ego and character. Wasn't a failed stint for me because he did break the CL curse and got them the Liga. But after that job he was never the same ole Jose again. It's kinda sad to see him like this. He needs to get fired asap and take the time off too find peace in his mind for his own sake.

I do not think Madrid broke him, he came back to England and won it with Chelsea. You do not do that if you are broken.

I think it was all about timing it was his last shot of winning sth with his tactics. Since then his style is well past it and probably not gonna work ever again (i really hope for that to be true).

Taking time is not gonna make any difference, because he has shown time and time again, he is not going to learn and adopt to recent times.

He is a paranoid megalomaniac and will never change, he will be willing to wait till The whole world gonna change back the way it was 15 years ago than do sth about it himself.

I think he is the perfect example why parents should not tell their children that they are the smartest, prettiest and best at anything when they are young because confrontation with adult world is pretty difficult when everything you did before was easy and when touched it turned to gold and right now is just a crap, and can't understand why it is not woring anymore.

When you think about yourself as SPECIAL ONE you will never see any fault in yourself and will blame everyone around not willing to change.

 

[Withnail]

We felt the same with our players. Martial, Rashford, Pogba all looked like they’re careers were finished. A shadow of themselves. Literally the first game under Ole they were totally different (even though it was only Cardiff). But the fact the positivity in the players was a complete change was telling.

Jose can grind the players to utter despair. Can you imagine the uninspiring tactics that gets drilled into them about playing negative football. Pogba used to call it out himself indirectly and complain how we weren’t playing the kind of attacking football we should.

Jose is brilliant at making the problem look like something other than him. He “was” a great manager. No longer is. It’s Arsene Wenger II.

100% All of the successes are his but the failures are always someone else's.

He does my head in at this stage. 'When I won the champions league' Is there any other manager who speaks that way?

 

[DevilRed]

Its literally like re-watching the mess we got into in his last year at our club, all over again.

This go around, he seems to have accelerated the timeline and skipped any new manager bounce/trophies and gone straight to the shitty football, myriad of excuses and complete and utter meltdown.

I'm sure its only a matter of time before someone like Dele turns against him. I'd be surprised if ndombele didn't try to force his way out before this window shuts either.

 

[romufc]

Its literally like re-watching the mess we got into in his last year at our club, all over again.

This go around, he seems to have accelerated the timeline and skipped any new manager bounce/trophies and gone straight to the shitty football, myriad of excuses and complete and utter meltdown.

I'm sure its only a matter of time before someone like Dele turns against him. I'd be surprised if ndombele didn't try to force his way out before this window shuts either.

The mess is not even off the pitch, the football is dire. The reason he stayed in the job so long is that the defence and goal keepers play very well under him, we used to get opened up but DDG saved us. Yesterday, Everton were allowed to play so easily.

The goals that his teams get are from set plays, luck, brilliant skill.

The thing that keeps him in his job is his ability to win a single game of football. He will set his team up perfectly for a game against Arsenal, defending deep structured and grab a goal.

 

[No Idea For Nickname]

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[horsechoker]

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I hope someone remixes that into a song

 

[tenpoless]

Not sure if Jose or Mr. Bean.

 

[balaks]

We felt the same with our players. Martial, Rashford, Pogba all looked like they’re careers were finished. A shadow of themselves. Literally the first game under Ole they were totally different (even though it was only Cardiff). But the fact the positivity in the players was a complete change was telling.

Jose can grind the players to utter despair. Can you imagine the uninspiring tactics that gets drilled into them about playing negative football. Pogba used to call it out himself indirectly and complain how we weren’t playing the kind of attacking football we should.

Jose is brilliant at making the problem look like something other than him. He “was” a great manager. No longer is. It’s Arsene Wenger II.

Yes I get that but these players have been utter shite since before Jose came in - at least 6 months before. There is clearly a major problem in the squad.

 

[Chesterlestreet]

Jenas on BBC Sport - you'd think he would've watched us under Mourinho once or twice, wouldn't you, the below is nothing new...

Exactly. In fact, every word you quoted could be applied to United under Jose. Especially the part about looking like they haven't played together before. He's still capable of making certain tactical choices that work in a given match scenario - but he seems to have lost the ability to create lasting cohesion. The typical Jose team in the past was a machine, starting at the back with a thoroughly organized defence. The typical Jose team these days just seems a bit random, really.

 

[UncleBob]

I don’t think José knows how to motivate modern players. Early in his career he had players who, for the most part, didn’t develop with the comfort of massive contracts and financial security like many do today. It’s possible his us versus them, go through the fire, sacrifice your body type rhetoric doesn’t vibe well with multimillionaire men in their 20’s who don’t want to have a limp or be in daily pain when they retire. Some of his interactions with Hazard and Pogba, as examples, suggest this. It can work for a while but eventually will become exhausting.

Combine this with a generally more attacking style pervading the league and it’s no surprise his message gets lost, especially when there are other managers who can be just as demanding but offer a better environment and style of play in return.

He used to be able to look at his squads and tell them that if they do as he says they will win, I’m not sure that’s enough these days (or even particularly true!).

I’ll always love the guy, I’d back his first Chelsea team against any other I've ever seen, but I struggle to see how he makes it anywhere near back to the heights of his early career.

What a load of shit.

 

[hmchan]

So much hatred.

 

[The United Irishman]

The man removes artistic licence from his players and in turn the players are terrified of making a mistake in case he throws them under the bus. He wants players who are grafters and follow strict instructions, he will never call out these players no matter how badly they play because they are in the yes camp. The players he usually throws under the bus are the no men the players that actually want to play football, showcase their skills, take risks, and play exciting football. His style is incredibly dull, too cautious, 11 robots behind the ball. He only wants to spend big money on ready made players and refuses to develop or trust young talent. For me he is anti-football and Spurs are welcome to him.

 

[EwanI Ted]

Spurs have a tricky run coming up. They've pulled two away games in the Europa apparently (the system is weird this year in the EL).

17th Sept - Lokomotiv Plovdiv (A)
20th Sept - Southampton (A)
22nd Sept - Leyton Orient or Plymouth Argyle (A)
24th Sept - FC Botoșani or KF Shkëndija (A)
27th Sept - Newcastle (H)
29th Sept - League Cup fixture (if successful last round)
1st October - Europa League fixture (if successful last round)
3rd October - Man United (A)

They'll put out the b-team in the League Cup of course, but could still go through. Assuming they also go through in the EL they'll be playing 8 games in 17 days, at least 5 of which are away from home, 2 in Eastern Europe. If they're really unlucky that could be 7 away games in 8 matches, with 3 away in Europe. The last game is us, at Old Trafford. That's a really tough run at this early stage. Jose could be under a lot of pressure by the time they face us at Old Trafford.

 

[Canagel]

Rui Faria was the real tactician, Mourinho was just the brand name. When Faria left the defence went with him.

Mourinho might be one of the biggest frauds ever

 

[DevilRed]

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He has fully transitioned into the Portugese David Brent.

 

[Revaulx]

Exactly. In fact, every word you quoted could be applied to United under Jose. Especially the part about looking like they haven't played together before. He's still capable of making certain tactical choices that work in a given match scenario - but he seems to have lost the ability to create lasting cohesion. The typical Jose team in the past was a machine, starting at the back with a thoroughly organized defence. The typical Jose team these days just seems a bit random, really.

It didn’t start off that way though. It was obvious there was a plan while Zlatan was in the team, even though the execution wasn’t always great.

After Zlatan’s big injury Jose could still organise the team for the odd game (the Ajax final, some of the CL ties the following season, the occasional “big” league game) but they were always one-offs. It’s as if he came to believe his game management was so good he didn’t need to bother creating any sort of system that ran on its own. Or he’d lost confidence in “modern” players being able to cope with it. Which is absurd, since it’s the route other top managers have taken (Klopp, Pep).

 

[FootballHQ]

It was an incredibly disappointing and worrying performance yesterday. I feel like all the hope I had for this season has gone after the first 90 mins. There appears to be an issue with mentality at the club - it's been like this for many years as you all know and has remained through several managers. The lack of fight and determination yesterday was unforgivable though, especially for the first game of the season. I'm very worried and if things don't dramatically improve soon Jose will be going but unfortunately I think if that happens then the NEXT manager will have exactly the same problems - something is rotten at the club and in the squad.

They all gave up after losing the CL final, majority of them knew the run of that squad was over so surprised to me you've still got a fair few of them hanging around in the squad like Rose and you kept Eriksen six months longer than you should've.

 

[Chesterlestreet]

...the occasional “big” league game...

Yep, like Liverpool - which some didn't like because we played "negatively", but it worked very well and we shut them down (or up) because he got his tactics right on the day (and Jose was hardly a proponent of free flowing joga bonito in the first place).

We looked disjointed and utterly uninspired shortly after, though - like you said, it was all about one-offs.

 

[Djemba-Djemba]

So much hatred.

 

[balaks]

They all gave up after losing the CL final, majority of them knew the run of that squad was over so surprised to me you've still got a fair few of them hanging around in the squad like Rose and you kept Eriksen six months longer than you should've.

Yep completely agree with that.

 

[UncleBob]

It didn’t start off that way though. It was obvious there was a plan while Zlatan was in the team, even though the execution wasn’t always great.

After Zlatan’s big injury Jose could still organise the team for the odd game (the Ajax final, some of the CL ties the following season, the occasional “big” league game) but they were always one-offs. It’s as if he came to believe his game management was so good he didn’t need to bother creating any sort of system that ran on its own. Or he’d lost confidence in “modern” players being able to cope with it. Which is absurd, since it’s the route other top managers have taken (Klopp, Pep).

Quality wise we were always miles above that Ajax team.

 

[youmeletsfly]

Jose will never risk space behind his defenders.

I know, that's why it goes to show he's so out of touch. He's basically refusing to adapt his game to counter the opposite team while still saying "I have the same principles". That's what made him a big manager, setting up perfectly to feck other teams, now he's only fecking himself.

It's either that or the Spurs players are: 1. fecking pussies ; 2. Not understanding anything Jose is asking them to do.

 

[Denis' cuff]

Rui Faria was the real tactician, Mourinho was just the brand name. When Faria left the defence went with him.

Mourinho might be one of the biggest frauds ever

Would like to hear Faria’s side of it. (Why he left)

 

[ThierryHenry]

It was an incredibly disappointing and worrying performance yesterday. I feel like all the hope I had for this season has gone after the first 90 mins. There appears to be an issue with mentality at the club - it's been like this for many years as you all know and has remained through several managers. The lack of fight and determination yesterday was unforgivable though, especially for the first game of the season. I'm very worried and if things don't dramatically improve soon Jose will be going but unfortunately I think if that happens then the NEXT manager will have exactly the same problems - something is rotten at the club and in the squad.

I just don't buy this type of argument.

You have a massive hole in your squad, where a midfield/ playmakers are supposed to be. Combined with poor full-backs, you're seriously ill-equipped to dominate possession and build attacks, which makes the whole squad look like they don't know how to create anything. Effectively, you still haven't found replacements for Dembele or Eriksen (or peak Rose/ Walker).

At the same time, you're managed by someone who seems to be completely out of tune with the modern game, and has consistently proven over the last decade that he's a horrible man manager.

Fix those issues soon, and you won't waste the end of your prime years of Kane/ Son. See above comments on the turnaround in fortunes of the likes of Martial, Rashford and Pogba.

Though the longer Jose stays, the less time you have before an even more major rebuild is needed...

 

[André Dominguez]

Probably he won't last until St Martin's day

 

[Wednesday at Stoke]

They could possibly do with Lo Celso coming back, otherwise if Ndombele isn't in Jose's good book, that is an extremely dire midfield between Sissoko, Højberg and Winks. I honestly don't understand what Winks is good at, if anyone reminds me of a Tom Cleverley clone, its him.

I think Adam Bate summed it up perfectly in his article on SkySports. If they aren't a possession based team and they aren't a pressing team, then how the feck are they going to get on the ball in the final third?

 

[André Dominguez]

They could possibly do with Lo Celso coming back, otherwise if Ndombele isn't in Jose's good book, that is an extremely dire midfield between Sissoko, Højberg and Winks. I honestly don't understand what Winks is good at, if anyone reminds me of a Tom Cleverley clone, its him.

I think Adam Bate summed it up perfectly in his article on SkySports. If they aren't a possession based team and they aren't a pressing team, then how the feck are they going to get on the ball in the final third?

Have to agree with the midfield. They need more energy there and Winks will not bring it. Hojberg is a decently balanced player, but without an outstanding player on his side he will be merged into mediocrity.

Delle Ali has lost the ship of football talent, I guess.

 

[Champ]

Rui Faria was the real tactician, Mourinho was just the brand name. When Faria left the defence went with him.

Mourinho might be one of the biggest frauds ever

Faria didnt exactly cover himself in glory during his time as a manager...
Maybe they both miss each other....

 

[sp_107]

Jose and Levy, cant say more than that. Worst possible combo in football.

 

[Foxbatt]

I think Jose needs to go back to what he was most successful. Now and even with United he was neither here nor there.
Playing defense football and counter attacking can be successful.
Not every team has the ability to do high press and be successful. But at Spurs where they are used to play with a certain style the Jose method is not going to be successful. All his successful teams had a very good defense and midfield and a big striker and quick players.
Yesterday Kane wasn't busting a gut to get to even 50/50 balls. The Spurs defense is too slow too. Pickford had a brilliant game too and Carlo is a top world class manager who have won as much as Jose in the international club completions. So he is no mug.

 

[UpWithRivers]

I dont like Mourinho in the slightest but its one game. They will be fine. Well......6th ish. They miss a creative midfielder. Eriksen replacement. Lo Celso will have to do most of the creative work when fit. Defense is also still sht but Mourinho tactics will help. They should try get Coutinho on loan or someone like that if all possible.

 

[Revaulx]

Quality wise we were always miles above that Ajax team.

Quality wise we were miles better than a very poor Southampton team we succeeded in holding to a 0-0 home draw only a few months later. By then any attempt at coaching a coherent attacking side had been completely abandoned.

I had been generally supportive of Jose up to that point. There was plenty I was uncomfortable with, but there were enough positives to keep me on side. It was at that game that I realised it was never going to work out.