Mourinho is first big victim of social media generation
IF I were a player I’d sign for Jose Mourinho tomorrow. I’d be chomping at the bit. I’ve watched him consistently turn good players into great players and average ones into really good ones. He is without doubt one of the great coaches.
There was a time when Harry Redknapp wanted Sulley Muntari at Tottenham and there was some talk of a swap deal involving myself going to Internazionale. And I would have loved to have played for him then. Even nine years later, when it looks as though Mourinho still bears the scars of his time at Real Madrid and or his second spell at Chelsea, he is a man you would want to work for. Or someone you should want to work for, if you understand the importance of his body of coaching work.
That said, observing from outside, it looks as if the methods he once used so well are falling on deaf ears with this generation of young players. This is the age of the Instagram footballer. We’ve seen this month how much power they have, sometimes even more power than media organisations. Certainly in terms of their social media following, they might have more power than managers in swaying the opinions of young fans.
That just wasn’t a factor 15 or 10 years ago when Mourinho was building his reputation. It wasn’t even as significant five years ago and it would have been fascinating to see how Sir Alex Ferguson would have adapted. Certainly, Sir Alex benefited from a very clear hierarchy at the club. If there was an issue between the manager and a player then the manager would always win: even if the player was David Beckham, Roy Keane or Jaap Stam. Now, Paul Pogba’s commercial value sometimes seems more important to Manchester United than the authority of the manager.
Mourinho is harsh, he motivates through confrontation. Of course there is a charismatic, inspiring side to him as well, as shown in
the famous story of how he told a 26-year-old Frank Lampard that he was going to be the best midfielder in the world. At the time, maybe even Frank didn’t believe that. But talk to Shaun Wright Phillips and Joe Cole and they’ll tell you about the other side. He can be brutal in taking down players, substituting them to make a point, shunning them and belittling them. He would argue it was all about making them realise they could be better. And, for most of his career, he was right and it worked.
But he’s now more than 30 years older than most players and he might find it harder to bond with them. Add in the fact that generations evolve and the landscape looks different now. Young players, just like all young people, are used to broadcasting their lives on social media. It’s hard for that generation to fit the Mourinho mould of control. Maybe he needs someone close to help him. Not enough has been made of the departure of his assistant, Rui Faria, last summer. The loss of someone who has been by his side for 17 years was a huge blow. Management is a lonely business and, when everyone turns on you, you need someone you can trust. Maybe Jose’s dark moods became darker because Rui Faria wasn’t there to lighten them. Maybe he would have steered him away from some of the confrontations.
By the end, Jose and United looked like a relationship gone horribly wrong and there was a sense of relief on separation. In the last few days, you’ve seen some of the old charm in the way he’s dealt with his departure. If he can recover that charm, he’ll be a formidable force again.