Philosophical Jose wants whole truth
JOSE MOURINHO resorted to quoting a German philosopher as his latest tactic to distract attention from Manchester United’s poor start to the season.
Rather than address the team’s problems, Mourinho launched into a passionate defence of his managerial record ahead of tomorrow’s game at Burnley, where United will be seeking to avoid a third straight defeat.
The self-proclaimed Special One claimed he is still “one of the greatest managers in the world” and pointed – again – to the eight league titles he has won throughout Europe.
But when asked if he could consider himself one of the greatest if he failed to deliver the Premier League title to Old Trafford, he quoted the German philosopher Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel.
“Of course I will,” he said. “Did you read any philosophers? Did you never spend time reading Hegel? OK, so, just as an example Hegel says, ‘The
WHO WAS HEGEL?
GEORG Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel was a philosopher in the early 19th century German Idealism movement.
Dubbed the Aristotle of Modern Times, his influences had a big impact.
Hegelianism is a school of philosophy based on his findings. truth is in the whole. It’s always in the whole that you find the truth’.
“Do you ask that question to the manager that finished third in the Premier League last season? To the manager that finished fourth? To the manager that finished fifth?
Mourinho was talking about Jurgen Klopp, Mauricio Pochettino and Antonio Conte, adding: “He [Klopp] never won anything in international competition, for example. That’s his problem.
“I’ll tell you what I think and how I feel. I analyse my performance myself and for me it is more important what I think than what you think.”
Mourinho reiterated his view that guiding United to second behind runaway champions Manchester City last season was one of his greatest achievements, despite the 19-point gap.
“I had great success last season,” he said. “That’s probably not what you want to admit and you do what REPORTS you want. I’ve won eight league titles and I’m the only manager in the world who has won in Italy, Spain and England – not small titles, not small countries, eight proper titles.
“But being second last season is one of my greatest achievements in football.
“Two seasons ago we had a fantastic season by winning the Europa League and last season everybody thought Atletico Madrid did amazing, because they won the Europa League after being knocked out of the Champions League. We won the Europa League, because that was our level, and we are the last team in England to win a European competition.”
United fans are only interested in the here and now, however. And if his team lose again tomorrow Mourinho’s hopes of adding to those eight league titles at their club will look pretty slim and the pressure will intensify.
Support came from the manager who will be trying to pile on the agony tomorrow, Sean Dyche, as well as Pep Guardiola, whose success at City is intensifying the scrutiny on the problems at Old Trafford.
Dyche – dubbed the “Ginger Mourinho” by Clarets fans – said: “My respect for people like Jose is because I’m a young manager, learning the game, and these people have done enormous things.
“In this game you get questioned for what you’re doing now. People forget your history and what you have done. He has done massive things for the game, for his clubs and for himself.
“You’ve got to have a bit respect when they’ve done they’ve done in the game.
“I’m certainly not going to question his conduct because he knows what he’s doing.”
And Guardiola put his past hostility with Mourinho to one side to say: “Of course we are judged on the titles we get, especially because, if you won titles, you have worked.
“But I don’t judge the managers only on that. I judge on the CV, the history, the way Jose did it in all the places he was – it’s hats off to him. “There is no doubts about
his quality.” more what