How Has The Mighty Fallen?
Written By Omolagba Oluwayemi
José Mário dos Santos Mourinho Félix: came to the limelight in the 2002-2004 season while managing FC Porto, leading them to back-to-back European success (UEFA Cup and UEFA Champions League).
After failing to hit the mark as a midfielder in the Portuguese Premiera Liga, José Mourinho eventually began a coaching career first with Benfica and then União de Leiria before joining FC Porto in 2002 where he’d became famous and the world most sought after coach.
Winning the UEFA Cup in 2002/03 season, his FC Porto side weren’t among the favourites going into the season but his pragmatic and energetic style of coaching coupled with his friendly relationship with his players and coaching staff helped FC Porto achieved the feet.
Going into the 2003/04 UEFA Champions League, Mourinho again turned an underdog FC Porto into Lions that conquered Europe with their most famous victory coming against heavy-weight Manchester United in the round of 16. Olympique Lyon and Deportivo La Coruna were his prey in the quarter and semi final has he led Porto to the final against Monaco in what happened to be a season of UCL shocks.
However, the Ligue 1 side were simply no match for Mourinho’s side in Gelsenkirchen with Brazilian forward Carlos Alberto scored five minutes before half time to give Porto a 1-0 lead, and second-half goals from Deco and Dmitri Alenichev completed a comprehensive 3-0 victory to secure an unlikely title for Mourinho, who would go on to become of one of Europe’s greatest ever coaches.
“Since I was linked with a departure from FC Porto I had to live with some pressures I was not used to,” Mourinho explained at his unveiling at Stamford Bridge on June 2, 2004.
“I had to change my life and the life of my wife and kids. At the end of the match I was more worried about them than being in celebrations.
“Porto supporters know what I am and what I give and nobody can erase what I did at the club. And my players know what I am and that after that match I was the proudest manager in the world,” Mourinho’s first press conference as Chelsea manager.
Mourinho’s clash with Ranieri
The coach who would not know how to refrain himself from talking said a lot that day including his retaliation to Claudio Ranieri’s comment, the man whom he took over from in his first Chelsea’s spell.
Ranieri questioned whether a coach from Portuguese football could step up to the demands of the Premier League.
“I heard that and I suggest if one of you is Mr Ranieri’s friend or has his number you should call him and explain to him that for a team to win the European Cup it has to beat many teams from many countries,” Mourinho quipped.
“I did not win the cup playing against 20 Portuguese teams. I played and beat a team from his own country, Italy, from your country and the one he was working in, England.
“And to win the Uefa Cup that was the same kind of thing.”
‘I’m a special one’
But for all the words spoken that day, it was one phrase in particular that Mourinho will forever be remembered for: “Please don’t call me arrogant, but I’m European champion and I think I’m a special one,” and that earned him the name, the Special One
On getting to England in the summer of 2004/05, Mourinho broke Sir Alex Ferguson’s dominance with his Chelsea side winning the premier league, FA Cup and league cup in his first stint but his romance with owner, Roman Abramovich ended in his third year after failing to deliver the prestigious, UEFA Champions League trophy.
Although the decision to sack him didn’t go down well with some of his players, there were also rumours he had fallout with some senior players.
Given an opportunity to reignite his career, Mourinho took over the helm of affairs in Italy where he’d lead Inter Milan to an unprecedented treble win in 2010 and that of-course made him arguably one of the best manager to have graced the Italian league.
From Italy to Spain where he broke Barcelona’s dominance to win the La Liga and Copa Del Rey trophies for Real Madrid but again the fallout with players led to his departure in his third season in-charge.
Jose Mourinho breezed back into Chelsea declaring: “I am the HAPPY One!”
An immediate return to Chelsea for a second spell saw him deliver League title and league Cup before being shown the exit door again in his third year reign after yet another fallout with players.
At Manchester United, he laid his hands on the Europa League, community shield and the league cup trophies before getting booted out for same reasons, fallout with players.
No one would’ve thought of him going to Tottenham Hotspur but to the surprise of many, he crossed from the blue side of London, to the white side and for the first time in his managerial career, since he came to the limelight, José Mourinho left a club without lifting the smallest of trophy.
And now the once ‘Special One’ who later said he’s the happy one will be coaching Roma team next season. Years ago, talks of Mourinho going to Roma would’ve been used a comedy skit but it’s a reality as we speak.
What’s happened to the ‘Special One’, has he lost the special touch that made him the most sort after coach?
Those days when Mourinho is in your team, you’re plus a trophy already even before the start of this season, but now, his presence no longer command much respect.
Before his arrival at a club these days players wants to leave unlike the days top players wants to join his team.
Could it be that pride had made the self acclaimed ‘Special One’ fall or is this just a phase that will even make him stronger and better?
Will this move to Roma be the beginning of the end for Mou or will he get things turn around and build a legacy that will make him a god in Rome?
As José Mourinho begin his adventure with AS Roma, we keep our fingers crossed, anxiously anticipating how things will pan out at the end of the day.
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