Is Jose Mourinho artist or artisan?
“Please don’t call me arrogant, but I’m European Champion and I think I’m the special one” — Jose Mourinho – June 2004 SUNBURY ON THAMES, England (Tuesday, March 14, 2006) — Few would disagree with the assertion that Jose Mourinho is special, very special indeed on the landscape of English football. But of his credentials, which ones define him as being out of the ordinary? As a manager, the Chelsea boss has great pedigree, but his rise to the top has been reasonably linear in relation to contemporaries such as Sven-Goran Eriksson, Arsene Wenger, and Gerard Houllier. The aforementioned coaches all had little distinction as players, but overcame this by being brilliant at articulating technical and strategic instruction, combined with an inherent understanding of the unique disposition of the soccer player’s mentality. Like Mourinho, they learned their craft as assistants or at minor clubs, and worked their way to the top. Therefore, while Mourinho is certainly a great coach, he share
