Champions League Build-Up: Remember Mourinho’s The Opposition
Jose Mourinho comes back to Stamford Bridge for the first time on Tuesday since he left in September 2007. It goes without saying he’ll come back in a blaze of publicity because let’s face it, that’s Jose Mourinho, but that’s the only similarity between this visit and any other time he’s been inside the ground.
Because this time around he isn’t The Special One, he’s the opposition.
Obviously, he still has plenty of supporters at Chelsea – he made sure of that, not just with the trophies he won but with his many statements of martyrdom since – but Carlo Ancelotti certainly hasn’t got the inferiority complex Mourinho would like him to have right now, stating “It won’t be difficult for the fans. Before the game Mourinho will have a very good reception but after that Chelsea fans are Chelsea fans. I don’t have a problem with Mourinho. I have never had a problem with him. There is no advantage because it’s a game between Chelsea and Inter, not me against Mourinho.”
Personally, I’m dreading hearing his name sung inside Stamford Bridge even if realistically I know it’s inevitable. I got over him a long time ago and whilst there’s plenty of Chelsea supporters I know who’d be gutted at the thought of him returning to the Premier League with another club, the only thing I’d ever be gutted about is losing to him again. I couldn’t honestly care less where Mourinho manages as long as when we do face him our supporters remember he is the opposition.
For this one though, it’s worth remembering the irony that Mourinho seemed to stand between us and the Champions League when he was at Chelsea – let’s not give him the satisfaction of doing it again now!
KTBFFH
Chelsea News 24/7
“I couldn’t honestly care less where Mourinho manages as long as when we do face him our supporters remember he is the opposition” Could not have put it better myself. On Saturday we seemed finally to have got over the Zola thing so let’s not be singing Arrogantio’s name all night tomorrow because all that will do is rouse the Inter players. Personally I will not even applaud the man as (two titles nothwithstanding) I cannot abide him and his need to be bigger than the club he draws his pay from.
Sorry Chelsea D I have to disagree on this one. Alot of Chelsea fans will hold Jose in our hearts because after 50 years he took us that final step to the best times in the clubs recent history.
I am not dreading his name being sung around the ground at all. I will be happy to sing his name and stand up and applaud him for what he did for us fans and the club.
He does come back as the opposition. Just remember, he can put down the best laid plans and tactics but you still need the players to do the business on the pitch. I posted on my Chelsea blog that I don’t think that the European sides can cope with the English style of play as United and Arsenal both showed last week.
Thats why I am totally confident about tomorrow. They don’t have the legs to play the way Jose wants them to tomorrow.
When we win and go through to the next round, I will stand up and I will sing his name cause I never want him to forget that we do love him and will always be greatful to him for bringing us 6 trophies in the time he was with us.
I’m not over his time with us and am surprised you are!.
Chelseadaft – yes, it was under Mourinho we won the titles – with the side Ranieri put together for him. Would he do the same if he walked into the City job today? No chance. He did a good job for a season, a season and a half at a stretch but because he’s an impact manager, he couldnt sustain that. Of course, he had us all convinced Abramovich was the bad guy not giving him the money he needed for players in the end but Ancelotti doesnt seem to be doing too badly without it.
Mourinho’s clever, I’ll give him that because he continues to play the pied piper with supporters even now. He loves turning everything into a pantomime and I’d just rather that wasn’t played out at Stamford Bridge tomorrow.
Chelsea D, it was a majority of the side Ranieri put together with the additions of Drogba, Carvalho, Ferreira etc part of the core of the side for two seasons.. so he HAS to take some credit.
Sorry but also have to disagree with you that it was more than one and a half seasons were you not there when we won back2back at the Bridge?
Chelseadaft – I didn’t actually suggest he deserves no credit at all, you’re right he did buy Drogba, Carvalho and Ferreira for around 70 million, I also recall him buying players like Kezman and Tiago, lol.
of course I was there for the titles (and a long time before) and because I was around, I could tell the difference between the first one when we wiped the floor with everyone and the second one where our creative play was stifled.
I know but we still won it… Don’t forget Kezman was signed with Cech & Robben before he got there…
One other point, you mentioned about the irony that stood between us and the Champions League when Jose was here.. remember the goal that never was?
All I am saying is Yes we are all aware that now he is the oppo. Yes we need to beat him tomorrow (and we will if we play with the pace of our game in the PL) but I will sing and applaud him for what he did for our club.
Chelseadaft, I don’t think that Drogba was very good the first two years with us, he definately wasn’t better than the strikers Mourinho got rid off to make room for him, Hasselbaink and Crespo.
Other players didn’t get a fair chance under Mourinho, Scott Parker, Wayne Bridge, Glen Johnson, Geremi, Juan Sebastián Verón, Carlton Cole and Mikael Forssel. I would swop Thiago for Parker any day.
Off the players who Mourinho brought in, who made the team better in the first two championship winning season, I would only mention Carvalho, and Ferreira. And both played in positions where we had good cover in Gallas and Johnson.
No disrespect for Mourinho, but I think if given the chance Ranieri would have led us to the title while playing more attractive football, in the same time as Mourinho.
That said, I would propably sing Mourinhos name along with you, but only after the game.
Are you certain, that Kezman was bought before Mourinhos arrival I ain’t. Anyway Mourinho had some misses in his time at the Bridge,: Jarosik, Tiago, Morais, Del Horno, Maniche, Boulahrouz, Pizarro, Ben Haim and Sidwell, (I know some where free transfers, but they sitll collected fat paychecks)
According to Mourinhos WIkipedia: In terms of spending, Mourinho carried on where his predecessor Claudio Ranieri left off, as, bankrolled by Roman Abramovich, he spent in excess of £70 m in transfer fees on players such as Tiago (£10 million) from Benfica, Didier Drogba (£24 million) from Olympique de Marseille, Mateja Kezman (£5.4 million) from PSV and Porto pair Ricardo Carvalho (£19.8 million) and Paulo Ferreira (£13.3 million).
Chelseadaft – as I said, I was there (a long time) before Mourinho, Kezman however, wasn’t.
Niels Uni – completely agree with your summing up of the downside to Mourinho, realistically it wasn’t the fairytale its remembered as.