José Mourinho

“Please don't call me arrogant, but I'm European champion […] and I think I am a

special one.”

José Mourinho, introductory press conference at Chelsea FC, June 2004

“He takes over a club, briskly populates the trophy cabinet, captivates neutrals with his

seething intelligence, then departs amid faltering performances and a foul atmosphere

of his own creation. Chelsea from 2004 to 2007, then Inter Milan until 2010, then Real

Madrid until 2013, now Chelsea again: a life of glory and transience.”i

Janan Ganesh, political columnist for the Financial Times

[What’s Mourinho’s biggest strength?] “Charisma!”ii

Patrick Barclay, Mourinho’s biographer

When in May 2016, José Mourinho was appointed as Manchester United’s manager

many rejoiced at the prospect of seeing the most successful coach of the 21st century

at the helm of a team that is still viewed as one of the most powerful in the world, in

spite of falling out of grace since Sir Alex Ferguson’s dynasty came to an end in 2011.

Others thought differently, they doubted Mourinho could adapt to Manchester United’s

culture.

Mourinho is, of course, the mythical coach capable of bringing teams of average and

often relegated players to glory, as he did with both FC Porto and FC Internazionale

Milano (Inter). Still, he never reached the European summit when managing some of

the most expensive squads ever assembled while at Chelsea FC and Real Madrid (see

Exhibit 1). By the time he arrived at Manchester United he had had an illustrious 16-

year long career. He had won multiple domestic leagues in Portugal, Italy, Spain and

England, one UEFA Cup and two Champions Leagues. He had always led his teams to

success in relatively short spells, never staying more than three years, and had always

brought about controversy. This was something he seemed to cherish and use to his

team’s advantage.

Before Manchester, Mourinho’s teams have borne his distinctive style, doing whatever

it takes to win, often playing a fearless defensive style and scoring through well-

designed fast counter attacks. Can he continue to win without destroying his club’s

culture and allow two strong identities to coexist? Will Mourinho finally be able to settle

This case study was prepared by Miguel Pina e Cunha and Pedro Sena-Dias.

José Mourinho

2

into a long-term relationship and focus on creating long-term value for his

shareholders, by both changing and becoming part of the structure or will he continue

to work on his own terms, acting as a sort of a short-term consultant?i

The Business of Footballiii… and its A product, the English Premier League

With a few notable exceptions, the same small group of teams has consistently

dominated the main European football leagues (see Exhibit 2). This is why Leicester’s

consecration as 2016 English Premier League (EPL) champion was picked by some as

the most surprising sport upset of all timeiv. At the beginning of the season, Leicester

City FCv was given 5000 to 1 odds of winning the title. According to ESPN, the team

was put together with only €65mvi in transfer fees, a fraction of the cost of the runners-

upvii. What made Leicester victory particularly unexpected is that it took place at a time

when Europe’s giant teams (see Exhibit 3) have an unsurpassed access to money: via

new ownership funds, via mega TV and sponsorship deals, or via merchandise sales in

a truly globalized world in which fans anywhere can follow and support any team.

In 2014/2015, the biggest football league in the world, the EPL (see Exhibit 4),

generated around €4.1bnviii, still far behind the NFL, the American Football League,

and the MLB, the American Baseball League, in terms of overall revenues generated

(see Exhibit 5). But, in terms of media average earnings per club, the Premier League

is expected to surpass the NFL in 2017/2018ix, which attests to its global marketability.

The fantastic growth of the league’s media deal, which for the triennial starting in

2016/2017 will surpass €6bn, a 70% increase, is finally bringing widespread profits to

almost all Premier League clubs, after decades of league losses from 1999 to 2015ix,

and should place all 20 Premier League clubs among the 30 biggest revenue

generators in Europex. In fact, around 80% of EPL clubs’ revenue is associated with

the domestic leaguexi. The more glamorous Champions League’s serves to boost

clubs’ worldwide appeal rather than to provide financial gain.

Since the early 2000s, financial attractiveness and a certain trend have made it more

common for billionaires to acquire sports teams, especially in the Premier League (see

Exhibit 6). The power pendulum is thus kept away from teams who maintain stable

ownership without a fresh influx of cash from eager new owners, as happened with

Manchester City, Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool (see Exhibit 7). A fresh

cash inflow has been behind the purchases of some of the biggest stars, which

generate bigger merchandise and sponsorship deals, further concentrating dominance

in the hands a few selected teams (see Exhibit 8).

José Mourinho

3

There are a few different revenue streams: tickets and other stadium revenues, media

and TV deals, merchandise and sponsorship deals, and potentially players’ trade

revenue. Overall EPL revenue has grown 65% in the past five years and revenues are

expected to increase 20% in 2016/2017 to over €5.2bnxii (see Exhibit 9). Players’

wages, which constitute by far clubs’ biggest running cost, have increased hand in

hand with revenue, exceeding €2.4bn, around 61% of revenue (see Exhibit 10). In spite

of a disproportionate revenue increase going to the top clubs, profitability is widespread

in the EPL, partly because of fairly recent UEFA fair play rules. The new rules do not

impose strict salary caps or spending caps. Instead, clubs may not spend more than

their combined revenue in a three-year periodxiii. The revenue increase for top clubs

has consolidated the dominance of a financial elite and we are starting to hear plans of

a Super Champions Leaguexiv in which the traditionally rich clubs would obtain

preferential access in order to boost broadcasting revenues even further. That would

certainly go against a more egalitarian vision of football, making it even less likely for

teams such as Leicester to become the Premier League champion or for a team like

FC Porto, to win the Champions League as they did in 2004 (see Exhibit 11).

What’s in a manager’s job description?

Spending by new owners has changed the way teams traditionally compete.

Ferguson’s old Manchester United won both in England and in Europe using a mix of

home-grown and talented players acquired at reasonable prices (see Exhibit 12), while

keeping a certain play culture and style. Currently, teams compete fiercely during the

off-season for the best players, spending enormous sums on players and agents (see

Exhibit 13). In fact, total transfer EPL spending has almost doubled since 2010/2011,

while agent fees grew by 80%. This has somewhat changed the role of a coach. Some

new owners demand immediate results: win fast or leave. Others manage in a more

business-oriented manner and look for different ways to grow their business value with

a sustainable model that requires time and stable leadership.

How important is winning?

Football, arguably the biggest sport in the world, has become a global business. Big

European clubs dominate the global marketplace using proficient marketing machines

to sell their products in every corner of the world, expanding access live games or

merchandise.

In spite of management’s increased sophistication, we still see strong ownership

influence in the day-to-day running of football clubs. In particular, owners themselves

José Mourinho

4

often choose and replace coaches. For some, replacing the coach is an annual affair,

while others look for long-term relationships. Arsenal, for example, has seen its

revenue grow hugely without winning and has kept the same coach for over 20 years.

Chelsea on the other hand has seen its debt increase massively (see Exhibit 14) but

has recently won championships under two different coaches. Nonetheless, Arsenal’s

value has increased 140% in the past 10 years, about the same increase as

Manchester United, who in the meanwhile has won five domestic titles and a

Champions League.

How did the role of the manager change?

While it took Ferguson six years to transform Manchester United and win its first title in

26 years, it took Mourinho only one year to make Chelsea the Premier League

champion, for the first time in more than 50 years. Arsenal and Liverpool, in turn, have

not won any Premier League titles in more than 10 years but continue to be in the top

10 clubs in terms of revenue. Arsène Wenger has kept his job, in spite of failing to win

since 2003/04. So, it appears that the role of the coach is highly dependent on the

club’s culture and ownership. Winning is not always the highest priority on the job

description and losing can be acceptable under certain circumstances.

Often the coach is expected to play an external role, acting somewhat as a

spokesperson, discussing game plans, results, and acquisitions. He stands for the

product’s long-term vision. This can be important at different levels: it motivates and

directs employees but also aligns fans/clients with the club’s vision, managing

expectations and keeping the club’s unity. Internally, he of course needs to oversee all

the technical aspects of the team he coaches, but he can also play a role in making

strategic decisions involving players’ trading (which in many cases includes some

budgetary responsibilities), be involved in the development of the youth teams, and

long-term strategy.

A manager’s role is highly dependent on the club’s culture and owners’ purposes. A

simple look at acquisition spending can give us a clearer view of ownership approach

and expectations (see Exhibit 7). Mourinho has been in different positions through the

years, although his leadership style and ability to create winning contexts has

persisted.

José Mourinho

5

From high-school teacher to most successful football manager in 12 years

José Mourinho wanted to have been a top football player. He tried his best up to his

early twenties but his intentions must not have matched his talent and he was forced to

re-evaluate his options making what arguably became the most important shift of his

career.

Personal Life

His interest in football started at a young age. “When he was small, he only wanted one

thing, a football. It was everything for him. At Christmas or his birthday, if we did not

give him a new ball it was as if he didn't get any presents”xv, says his father. He spent

his youth around the football field where his father was as a player and has remained

around it ever since. Nonetheless, Mourinho considers family to be “obviously, […]

more important than football”, at home “wife and children – are the bosses.”xvi

He was born into a middle-class family, in Setubal, forty minutes south of Lisbon,

Portugal. His father, Félix, was a goalkeeper for the local team, Vitoria FC, a Primeira

Ligaxvii club, and became a coach after retiring. His mother, Maria Júlia, was a primary

school teacher born to a well to do family that fell from fortune after the 1974 revolution.

According to her, he was “a perfectionist from his early days. At the age of five he

would go to school with all his pens, crayons and ruler perfectly ordered and cased in

his satchel.”xv

As a child he loved being around the football team, where his father played. He always

wanted to watch the matches his father played in. After his father changed clubs and

that became more difficult, José was told he could come if he did well in school, “so he

started to be a ball-boy just to be with [him]”. Then, “he started to manage the ball

boys. He would position himself behind our bench. I'd give him instructions, which he

would pass on to the players, running to the other side of the pitch to tell them. Thus,

he began to deal with tactics and systems of play early on.”xv The young José worked

hard in order to be allowed to be with his father, and it was for him that he did his first

scouting reports of opposing teams.

Throughout his youth Mourinho continued playing part-time, and before reaching 20, he

had had spells with two top-flight clubs, Rio Ave and Belenensesxviii, where his father

coached. After that, he briefly played for two lower division clubsxix without success. He

soon realized he was not going to be a great player so he switched gears to focus on

becoming a coach. His mother wanted him to have a business degree and enrolled him

José Mourinho

6

in a business school. He famously quit on the first day, so he could follow his true

passion, football. “Sorry mother, but it's not for me. It's all suit and tie, I only like training

gear,”xv, he told her. He pursued a five-year Physical Education (PE) degree, in which

“he went through […] like a bullet, with excellent marks.”xv After graduating, he taught

Physical Education (PE) in high schools for a few years, sometimes coaching youth

teams and scouting for small clubs. During this period he also took coaching courses in

the United Kingdom: this may have proven critical for the future. This unusual career

start, speaks to his determination to follow his passion.

The interpreter years, 1992-2000

He gained access to top football in a very unusual fashion when he was asked to serve

as an interpreter for Sir Bobby Robson. “I met him the day I landed in Lisbon to coach

Sporting CP from Lisbon, I was met by the president, who couldn’t say a word in

English […] and by José Mourinho, a bright young man […]”xx, said Robson said years

later. At that point, it would be hard to predict everything that came to pass. Mourinho

went from being a high school PE teacher to a top football coach in 10 years. Robson

agrees: “I knew he would leave me, but I didn’t at the time think that he would become

a great.”xx

His technical qualities ended up impressing Robson and he became very influential to

his development: “He'd come back and hand me a dossier that was absolutely first

class. I mean first class, as good as anything I've ever received. Here he was, in his

early thirties, never been a player, never been a coach to speak of either, giving me

reports as good as anything I ever got.”xxi

After Sporting CP, he followed Robson to FC Porto, and after that to FC Barcelona. His

influence grew over the years, and when Robson left Barcelona, Van Gaal retained the

young and bright assistant. Those years, the Barcelona period in particular, were

essential to his football education. According to José Mourinho, he “was more

influenced by Barça’s philosophy than by any other coach. They were four years of

[his] life absolutely fundamental.”xxii He learned strategy from the best tacticians, but

also how to talk to multimillionaire football stars so they would listen. “Barcelona was a

lesson in elitism. Proximity to megastars taught him his tactical mastery would amount

to nothing without the charisma to bend millionaires to his will.”ii

José Mourinho

7

Benfica and Leiria, 2000-2002

In 2000, Benfica, which was going through a difficult time both financially and on the

pitch, invited Mourinho to replace Jupp Heynckes, who had left two games into the

season. Shortly after Mourinho’s investiture, a club election brought in a president who

had a different idea for the coaching position. After a streak of good results, José

Mourinho asked for a one-year contract extension to end the uncertainties regarding

the management team. The new president refused, so he promptly quit. From the

beginning, he would not accept managing from a weak position even if it meant quitting

the biggest job he ever had. Later on, and on several occasions, Mourinho made

similar choices and took chances rather than settle for a confortable position. “I’m not

the smartest guy to choose countries and clubs. I could choose another club in another

country where to be champion is easier,”xxiii he said. In fact, he often took his time

choosing his next employer and ended up picking the biggest challenge. This

happened at the end of his time at Porto and at Inter, when he was at a peak, but also

after Chelsea or Real Madrid when he chose not to coach in less competitive countries.

After Benfica, Mourinho started the following season at União Desportiva de Leiria, an

average team at Primeira Liga. He obtained great results. During his short tenure there

he fought bigger teams for a place in the top three. His performance did not go

unnoticed. In January FC Porto hired him to replace Octávio Machado, who had been

sacked for bad results.

FC Porto, 2002-2004

Mourinho arrived in Porto in the middle of the season, with the team placed fifth. He

finished second and stated that his team would “be champions next year”xxiv. He

surpassed his promise. As he has often done since, he was pressuring himself by

making such a bold claim and it paid off. Next season, despite being called

pretentiousxxv, he used his innovative scientific methods to win Portugal’s first league

as well as UEFA’s Europa Cup.

The following year, he was in charge of a Mourinho style team composed of relegated

players, like Deco and Maniche, who had both been released by Benfica, as well as

players from his previous teams, on whom he could countxxvi . Those players worked

incredibly hard to prove their worth. That year Porto dominated the Portuguese league

and ended up winning the 2004 Champions League. On the way he eliminated

Manchester United with a late goal. This was Mourinho’s first celebration on English

ground. The coach ran down the field, commemorating as if he had scored himself.

Those images became iconic of Mourinho’s ways.

José Mourinho

8

Chelsea, 2004-2007

When Mourinho arrived at Chelsea his image was that of a special coach who had

been able to bring a club outside the big five major European leaguesxxvii into winning

the Champions League. His first press conference was key to creating Mourinho’s

special one myth. Rarely, if ever in the soccer world, had anyone been heard speaking

such self-praising wordsxxviii : a newly arrived young coach describing himself as special

in the richest and the most competitive league in the world. Most surprisingly, he

backed his claim by winning two back-to-back titles, the first for the team in 50 years.

Mourinho was unable to conquer the Champions League with Chelsea, losing two

semi-finals to Liverpool. Towards the end of his first Chelsea period, he gradually

became more uncomfortable with the team owner’s meddling with players’ recruitment.

He ended up leaving a few games into his fourth season. As he did on other occasions,

he took his time deciding where to go next, waiting until the beginning of the next

season to go back to work.

Inter, 2008-2010

Mourinho’s approach at Inter was similar to that used in Porto and Chelsea. Inter had

won the Serie A, the Italian championship, for three years in a rowxxix. Still, many

considered it to be an outsider among heavyweights like Juventus and AC Milan, fitting

in nicely with Mourinho’s favorite us against the world context. During a two-year

period, he went on to win two national championships and the Champions League in

2010. That victory was possible after a legendary semi-finals battle with Barcelona, in

which 10 Inter men defended their goal heroically for more than an hour. Mourinho

named it “[…] the most beautiful defeat of my life.”xxx

During this period, the coach was extremely confrontational and very critical of

referees, the league and the press. He claimed he was not free to speak his mind and

his players were not allowed to play normally. It all culminated in the famous hands tied

controversy, in which, at the end of a game he crossed his hands up high as if

handcuffed, leading to one of the biggest suspensions and fines of his career. Since

Mourinho’s departure in 2010, Inter has never won again.

Real Madrid and Chelsea, 2010-2015

After his tenure with Inter, Mourinho coached in Madrid and then returned to Chelsea.

During that period, and for the first time since his coaching career took off, he failed to

meet expectations. Despite having stellar players at his disposal, José Mourinho won

José Mourinho

9

each club only one domestic championship title each over a five-year period. He was

unable to recreate the mystical relationship he had with both players and the fan base

in each of his previous clubs. He tried to re-tell the victimization tale, claiming that the

UEFA organizationxxxi body had a bias for Barcelona but that argument did not please

the club or the players. In fact, some of the Spanish players united to question

coaching decisions and discredited the claims of UEFA bias. Mourinho’s relationship

with the media was tense, but this time, the coach seemed unable to use it in his favor.

His image took a serious hit when he poked the eye of Barcelona’s assistant in the

middle of a late game brawlxxxii . Real Madrid, the biggest team in the world, can’t quite

pass for a Mourinho style underdog. The coach has probably mused over what should

have been. At the end of the third year, after losing the chance to replace Ferguson at

Manchester Unitedxxxiii , he returned to Chelsea.

At Chelsea, it took him two years to win the Premier League. His third year was his

worst ever. He lost control of his team in a spectacular fashion, and, for the first time

when playing more than 10 games (see Exhibit 15), did not have a winning record. His

relationship with players deteriorated to a point at which he felt his “[…] work was

[being] betrayed.”xxxiv The unexpected series of bad results made the sack predictable.

When he left, Chelsea was just outside the relegation zone.

Essentially the same group of men who had been crowned as champions a few months

before formed a completely different team: defensively disorganized and incapable of

scoring consistently. Mourinho, uncharacteristically, dealt with some internal issues

through the press. He blamed employeesxxxv and players for bad results, going against

his own motto: “as a leader […] your people are more important than you.”xxxvi

Chelsea’s culture has been unaccommodating to losing, or delaying gratification.

Mourinho was unable to face internal challenge and short-term failure.

Mourinho’s game plan

Mourinho’s myth was built around winning (see Exhibit 16) early and often. He applies

a scientific approach to coaching, down to the individual level, and prepares his team to

face any opponent, even stronger onesxxxvii , with a precise individual tactical recipe for

each player. “Of course, he would give us detailed information about the team we were

facing next at the start of the training week and more precisely about the player that

would be closest to our area of play. ‘What was the player like? Did he have a

tendency to get many cards? What kind of movements did he make?’ It was new for

José Mourinho

10

many of us back then, but it was very helpful and meant we were much better prepared

for each match,”xxiii says Costinha, who played for Mourinho at Porto.

Looking back, the super-detailed scouting reports on opposing teams and players

Mourinho delivered to Robson are actually at the core of Mourinho’s approach to

coaching. When he first put those reports together he did so by himself as he had not

learned the trade from anyone. They were of his own device and invention. He

perfected them by working closely with Van Gaal, one of the tactical geniuses of his

generation. Mourinho gave players a game plan with an extraordinary amount of

personalized detail. Through the game plans, players were able to compete against the

best regardless of their own aptitude. Patrick Vieira, who was coached by Mourinho at

Inter, said “you might not be the best, but have a chance to win against the best.”xxxvii

That is why, in Mourinho’s teams, we often see good players without exceptional talent

become essential. Examples are Maniche or Carlos Alberto, at Porto; Milito or

Stankovic, at Inter; Ivanovic or Essien at Chelsea.

Mourinho’s technical prowess is not unheard of among world-class coaches. Van Gaal,

with whom Mourinho worked, may well be tactically more brilliant than the Portuguese

coach, but his charisma is no match. Early in his career Mourinho learned that to be a

successful leader of men he needed to be in a position in which his leadership was not

imposed: “I never liked the kind of leadership where the boys say: He’s my leader, I

have to respect him. I prefer them to say: I respect him and he’s my leader.”xxxviii This

respect is particularly hard to gain from star players: “You can’t help but learn when you

coach players of this caliber. You even learn about human relationships. Players of that

level don’t accept what you tell them simply because of the authority of who’s telling

them. You have to prove what you say is right. The old story of ‘The Mister is always

right’ is simply not applicable. […] The coach is a guide. You provide clues; they

interpret them. My philosophy is guidance and discovery.”xxxix For José Mourinho

managing a football team is much more than a technical or a tactical effort, “A coach

must be everything: a tactician, motivator, leader, methodologist, psychologist. […]

Every coach knows about football, the difference is made in the other areas.”xl For him

“the most important thing is man management. Football for [him] is a human science, it

is about man.”xxxix He knows players set on a level of commitment to the coach’s

instructions and aims to use his charisma to elevate their performance.

José Mourinho

11

The tactics

Mourinho’s coaching brightness is in the details. As he bluntly put it, “You must work

hard and well, because other people work hard and not well.”xli Otherwise, he adapts to

the situation: “I don’t have a particular way of playing football that I take from club to

club, because you find yourself with different players at each club. What a coach must

do is read the situation each time and adapt a game to suit the qualities of his

players.”xlii He is able to adapt his tactics to the available players. At Porto, he played a

4-4-2- with diamond midfield without pure wingmen. At Chelsea (2004/2007), he played

a 4-3-3. At Inter, he used variations on both schemes, and in the last few years, at Real

Madrid and Chelsea, he played a purer 4-3-3 using the quality of the wingmen at his

disposal, such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Hazard.

His critics claim that his precise tactic dispositions are ultra defensive and do not make

for a beautiful game. To this he responds, “Look, we’re not entertaining? I don’t care;

we win.”xliii Indeed, for him possession of the ball has a purpose: scoring. But it has its

dangers too: “the more the ball circulates in midfield, the more likely it is that the other

team will dispossess us.”xxiii The game he plays requires precision and hence quality all

around, "quality of work, quality in leadership, quality in relationship with the players.”xli

How then does he establish his quality inducing leadership? “He is a master motivator

who unites us and makes us feel superior to the competition,”xliv said John Terry, who

was Chelsea’s captain under Mourinho. “He knew everybody so deeply that he could

control our emotions in every situation. In my case, he would just pat me on the back

and I was ready to go. However, there were players who needed motivation, who

needed to be praised, and he knew which ones needed what, that’s what made him so

good,”xlv added Vítor Baia.

The charisma

Mourinho realized early on that technical prowess would amount to nothing without

charisma to match. He needed more than players’ respect, which most other managers

get out of their playing accolades, he needed players’ complete commitment. As

Ferguson put it, “I never thought someone who never played the game could be a top

coach, but his personality does that […], bridges that gap [between players and ones

that never played]”xlvi. Mourinho could not build a natural leadership upon a personal

history as a player. He had to convey his own charisma and win, so he could reach his

goal as a leader.

José Mourinho

12

To attain that respect, when he arrived at Chelsea, he felt he needed to use a

confrontational style: “I was a confrontational leader because I felt that was what the

team needed at the time. The guys desperately needed to make the jump from

potential to reality, and I think they needed the kind of leader I was. I called it

confrontational leadership: confrontation not just inside, but also outside the group. We

were not afraid to say we are the best, we were not afraid to say we are going to win,

or we are special, we are going to prove that we are – so it was perfect.”xxxviii He gave

himself the status he sought by using powerful words and imagery that influenced his

team, the opposing team and the referees (see Exhibit 17). He created a context in

which winning was the only way out. That worked tremendously well in the first part of

his career but, also, fuelled animosities. He didn’t care, he knew that a hyper-

motivated, often fearless team, was half-way there.

All his effort is put into winning now. This has allowed him to get his teams focused

from the start. As a master motivational leader, he prepares players technically and

emotionally to hit the ground running. On the other hand, this attitude has made it

difficult to cultivate younger players. In his winning teams, players get behind him,

supporting his choices, even if contrary to their self-interest. “Sometimes at Inter I

wouldn’t be on the starting eleven, but he always found time for me. If every single

player puts the team before himself, [the team] will be successful,”xxxvii stated Patrick

Vieira, one of the most domineering mid-fielders in the world during his prime but who

was not a regular first teamer at Mourinho’s Inter.

This eagerness to win fast is contagious and makes for strong connections with

players. An example is his celebratory antics: José Mourinho often celebrates goals

with players, like a player, and becomes one of them. This fits in well with his

leadership style: “You must create a good leadership with the players, which is an

accepted leadership, not the leadership by power, by status, make everybody feel part

of the group, and that I am one of them.”xli Lately, he has been unable to relate with

players at that level, particularly when his teams were less successful. At Madrid and in

Chelsea’s second period he resorted to blaming players and staff. On both occasions,

opposing groups were formed for and against the coach, and that led to lack of

cohesion on the field.

The Press

Mourinho said, “when I go to the press conference before the game, in my mind the

game has already started”xlvii, that’s one of the reasons why Patrick Barclay, his

José Mourinho

13

biographer, has compared him to Machiavelli. His strategic use of the media, withdraws

pressure from players, and puts it on himself, the opponents and referees (who are

often seen as opponents). This accentuates his leadership range, sending clear

messages to both his players, and his opponents, that he is in control and will dominate

even when his team is not supposed too.

Press conferences are one of his favorite communication vehicles. He uses them to his

advantage like no one else. In them, “he never relaxes, his eyes are always moving,

focused, as if ready to attack”ii. This sets him apart from other coaches. Ferguson, for

example, used conversations with press more as an obligation than as an opportunity:

“I always say the same thing in press conferences, not to give anything away to our

adversaries. I knew I had to speak for a certain time and that was it.”xlviii But Mourinho

gives little away to his opponents. His focus is on influencing referees and on

cultivating his enemies. He openly talks about both. He uses smart points of view,

worded interestingly, to frame the situation to his advantage, blaming failure on

external factors creating a just war fable. He “bends logic with emotion, building an

intense working atmosphere that eventually burns itself out.”i As of lately, this has been

difficult to sustain and one has to wonder if it is possible to continuously motivate

players using this same destabilization tactic. The fact is that his wars against the world

are increasingly hard to pass off.

The Myth

At Porto Mourinho constructed an extremely consistent team, which really is the pillar

of his mythical persona. In just two and a half years, it won the Portuguese

championship twice and a Champions League. Porto is traditionally a strong team. It

had won seven out of ten national championships before José Mourinho’s arrival and

was a constant presence in the Champions League. Winning the Champions League,

on the other hand, was extraordinary. Porto and Ajax Amsterdam, in 1995, are the only

teams from outside the Big Five leagues to have won the competition in its present

form. In retrospect, one can see that Mourinho’s Porto was a precise football machine

but it is easy to imagine how things could have turned out differently then. Porto’s feat

came after an unrepeatable set of circumstances. One could say that the team had a

favorable schedule, in which the only great test was Manchester United in the Round of

16. That series was decided with a goal in the 92nd minute in Manchester, preceded by

a goalkeeping error. After that, Porto played easier teams on the way to the final win,

dismantling in quick order, Olympique Lyonnais, Deportivo Coruña in the semifinals

and Monaco in the final, winning an unbalanced match 3-0. Without the unrepeatable

José Mourinho

14

strikes that brought this victory about, things might have gone much differently for José

Mourinho. This particular win, changed how he would be perceived forever in his

career and set out the first spark on the mythical vision he created of himself. The

Mourinho myth exists because he won when no one, including himselfxlix, expected him

to.

The role of his first winning streak cannot be overstated: “Because he wins, after each

game the team gets better.”l. Because of this victory, he was able to call himself “a

special one”. His unusual background as football coach was something to overcome.

And, along with his charisma, he used this early win to persuade players he was

exceptional. After Inter, his myth took a hit. He disappointed many at the helm of the

biggest football team in the world, Real Madrid and left without meeting expectations, in

particular without the 10th Champions League victory that the team chased obsessively.

This somewhat tainted a perfectly immaculate CV. It was, to be sure, impossible to live

up to the expectations set in his first years with Porto, Chelsea and Inter. Can he get

things back on track after this fallout? If so, how?

Rivals’ different approaches

Mourinho has used his charisma to employ belligerent tactics like no one before. His

rivals have followed, with different degrees of success, different approaches to

managing a team. Differences may come from the rivals’ personalities or from their

backgrounds as coaches, who had often been high-level players. The fact is that

different circumstances lead to different leadership paths: Carlo Ancelloti, the natural

leader, is the only active coach to have won three Champions League trophies as

manager (twice with Milan and once with Real Madrid) and twice as a player. He was a

brilliant player in the days when he played as a poised holding midfielder. He manages

his teams similarly keeping his gentlemanly ways. Pep Guardiola, the traditionalist,

played almost his entire career, including his formative years at Barcelonali. His tactical

approach, with his classy subdued style, based on Cruyff’s total football, which became

a Barcelona tradition. Van Gaal, the technical prodigy, was Mourinho’s mentor and

tactical master. After an average career as player in the Dutch championship, he

initiated his managing career with great success at Ajax, securing two European titles,

including one Champions League. Arsène Wenger, is often called “Le Professeur” due

to his studious approach and preference for young players that are still in their

formative years. He himself was a below average player, spending all his career in the

minor leagues, while studying economics. He has spent the last twenty years with

Arsenal. Antonio Conte, the team warrior, is along with Diego Simeone, an example of

José Mourinho

15

how a strong fighter on the field can make a positive transition into coaching by

transposing that combative spirit onto their players. And finally, Sir Alex Ferguson, the

unquestionable leader, will inevitably draw comparisons with Mourinho. He was an

implacable leader, his harsh talks during half-time are legendary but he was also

understanding of his players personal lives, ups and downs, and kept a welcoming

open door for them at all times.

Manchester United and beyond

Mourinho’s immediate challenge will be, as always, to return his current club to winning

ways. But for a continued relationship his persona will have to evolve, so it can blend in

with a club’s culture. Will Mourinho reinvent himself and become a cohesive manager

who does not focus on quick divisive victories but rather develops strong ties with his

club, fans and ownership, in order to bring long lasting benefits? His technical gifts will

always be there, still something in Mourinho’s leadership style seems to be failing him

as of late. He has been unable to stay in one place for long. That will be his challenge

in the near future.

Beyond

A myth created after a Champions League victory cannot be easily reenacted, in

football or in any other industry. What is repeatable is the process through which a

manager leads a team into outperforming itself. In Mourinho’s case, he used his

charismatic personality and his early wins to create a unique persona, that of a young

coach with no history of failures.

Ferguson believes Mourinho is on trial to be the best everlii. The special one’s ambition

to win always, in the most difficult leagues,liii as well as his early days feats might be

the reason why. Ultimately, his legacy will be built on wins. The question is how will he

return to his old day’s performance? Will José Mourinho change his style and focus his

talents on a long-term relationship with a club or will he simply continue to coach in

intense short spells?

José Mourinho

16

Notes

i Janan Ganesh, political columnist for the Financial Times, “José Mourinho, The Lord of Chaos”, October 30, 2015 ii Patrick Barclay, Mourinho’s biographer, “Mourinho” (ITV4), first broadcast on December 3, 2012 iii Football is known as soccer in the United States iv Tim Clement, “Leicester's Premier League triumph considered the greatest ever sporting upset”, www.skysports.com/football/news/30385/10262512/leicesters-premier-league-triumph-considered-the-greatest-ever-sporting-upset, May 3, 2016 v Leicester FC regained access to the English Premier League two years earlier, in 2013/2014, and finished in the 14th position in 2014/2015. vi Exchange rates used: £1=€1.20=$1.33 vii Murad Ahmed and Paul McClean, “Leicester’s triumph is a case study in overcoming huge odds”, Financial Times, www.ft.com/content/85448886-1124-11e6-839f-2922947098f0, May 3, 2016 viii Bill Wilson, “Premier League revenues hit a new high but profits fall”, www.bbc.com/news/business-36034403, April 15, 2016 ix Annual Review of Football Finance 2015 by Deloitte x Ben Smith, “Premier League TV rights: What does deal mean for fans & clubs”, http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/31386483, Feb 11, 2015 xi Rob Draper, “Premier League clubs' mindset to blame for Champions League decline... they prioritise revenue over Europe's elite competition”, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3366189/Premier-League-club-s-mindset-blame-Champions-League-decline-prioritise-revenue-Europe-s-elite-competition.html, Dec 18, 2015 xii Annual Review of Football Finance 2016 by Deloitte xiii [According to the UEFA.com fair play rules] “clubs can spend up to €5 million more than they earn per assessment period (three years). [...] This prevents the build-up of unsustainable debt. [...] In order to promote investment in stadiums, training facilities, youth development and women’s football (from 2015), all such costs are excluded from the break-even calculation.” xiv Francesc Aguilar, Los grandes clubs quieren una nueva Champions en el 2018, http://www.mundodeportivo.com/20160121/301576660122/los-grandes-clubs-quieren-una-nueva-champions.html, accessed in Aug 12, 2016 xv Paul Smith, Sunday Mirror, “Destined to be a great from the age of 10”, September 12, 2004 xvi “José Mourinho interview: my wife and children – they are the bosses’”, www.bigissue.com/features/interviews/5264/jos-mourinho-interview-my-wife-and-children-they-are-the-bosses, May 26, 2015 xvii Primeira Liga is the top football league in Portugal xviii Both Rio Ave and Beleneses are usually middle pack teams in Portugal’s Primeira Liga xix Sesimbra and Comércio e Indústria participate in a lower division xx Bobby Robson, “Mourinho” (ITV4), first broadcast on December 3, 2012 xxi Bobby Robson, “New Statesman, NS Man of the year - Jose Mourinho”, http://www.newstatesman.com/node/163466, December 19, 2005 xxii José Mourinho, "FC Porto foi a melhor equipa que já treinei", http://expresso.sapo.pt/actualidade/fc-porto-foi-a-melhor-equipa-que-ja-treinei=f504777, March 23, 2009 xxiii José Mourinho, “The Devil and José Mourinho”, www.theguardian.com/football/2015/dec/22/devil-and-jose-mourinho, Dec 22, 2015 xxiv José Mourinho at Porto’s introductory press conference xxv For example, what every other coach would call a 20 km run he called an extended aerobic exercise xxvi Derlei, Nuno Valente both came from Leiria and were integral parts of the team that won the UEFA leagues in 2003 and 2004 xxvii The Big Five leagues include the English, French, German, Italian, and the Spanish xxviii Ferguson: “I could not believe he arrived here and said that”, “Mourinho” (ITV4), first broadcast on December 3, 2012 xxix With the first being due to the Juventus and Milan losing points due to corruption charges xxx José Mourinho after being defeated by Barcelona playing with 10 men but advancing to the 2010 Champions League final on goal difference, www.fifa.com/clubworldcup/news/y=2010/m=4/news=mourinho-best-defeat-life-1201735.html, April 28, 2010 xxxi José Mourinho after losing a Champions League semi-final for Barcelona: “I don't know if it's to give publicity to UNICEF [Barcelona’s sponsor at the time] or their power at UEFA. I don't know if people just like them. I don't know and I don't understand. Where does all this power come from? No-one else has a chance really. Why don't they let other teams play against them?!” xxxii “Jose Mourinho will not apologize for poke in eye”, www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/competitions/la-liga/8714600/Jose-Mourinho-will-not-apologise-for-poke-in-eye.html, August 11, 2011 xxxiii “José Mourinho 'cried' after being overlooked for Manchester United job”, www.theguardian.com/football/2013/sep/26/jose-mourinho-cried-manchester-united, September 23, 2013

José Mourinho

17

xxxiv José Mourinho at the press conference after losing to Leicester, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3360104/Chelsea-manger-Jose-Mourinho-s-woes-continue-feel-like-work-betrayed-Blues-boss-gives-four-finish.html, December 14, 2015 xxxv Eva Carneiro, the beloved team doctor, was publicly humiliated as being unaware of what was going on out on the field after entering late in the game to assist one of the players, which led to a constructive dismissal lawsuit against Chelsea and a personal legal action against Mourinho. xxxvi José Mourinho, “Jose Mourinho reveals his beliefs on confrontation, respecting his players and the Premier League, www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/chelsea/10238444/Jose-Mourinho-reveals-his-beliefs-on-confrontation-respecting-his-players-and-the-Premier-League.html, August 13, 2013 xxxvii Patrick Vieira, “Mourinho” (ITV4), first broadcasted in December 3, 2012 xxxviii José Mourinho, “Jose Mourinho reveals his beliefs on confrontation, respecting his players and the Premier League, www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/chelsea/10238444/Jose-Mourinho-reveals-his-beliefs-on-confrontation-respecting-his-players-and-the-Premier-League.html, August 13, 2013 xxxix José Mourinho at “The making of Jose Mourinho – from translator to Bobby's boy, to Special One and beyond”, http://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/making-jose-mourinho-translator-bobbys-boy-special-one-and-beyond#9YlAKdpvcdujhixv.99, from the April 2013 issue xl José Mourinho, “Hailing José”, http://www.skysports.com/football/news/15116/9001020/hailing-jose, November 2, 2013 xli José Mourinho, “Mourinho” (ITV4), first broadcast on December 3, 2012 xlii José Mourinho, “José Mourinho hopes Manchester United respond to risky objectives”, http://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/aug/06/jose-mourinho-manchester-united-louis-van-gaal, August 6, 2016 xliii “José Mourinho, “Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho: A career in quotes”, http://www.itv.com/news/2015-04-27/chelsea-boss-jose-mourinho-a-career-in-quotes/ xliv John Terry, “Jo Mo's Lost his Mojo”, www.flaminghairdryer.com/2015/11/jo-mos-lost-his-mojo-picture.html, November 8, 2015 xlv Vítor Baía, who was coached by Mourinho at Barcelona and Porto, in “The devil and José Mourinho” xlvi Alex Ferguson, “Mourinho” (ITV4), first broadcast on December 3, 2012 xlvii José Mourinho, “Jose Mourinho's most famous quotes from over the years as he is sacked as Chelsea manager”, www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/jose-mourinhos-most-famous-quotes-7031597 xlviii Ferguson interviewed by BBC xlix In 2003, a year before winning the Champions League Mourinho said his Porto could “do beautiful things next year [in the Champions League], but not win”. l Moratti (Inter Milan president), “Mourinho” (ITV4), first broadcast on December 3, 2012 li Guardiola joined the renowned La Masia academy at the age of thirteen lii “He is on trial for that, no doubt about it.” Ferguson, when asked if Mourinho will be the best manager ever in documentary “Mourinho” (ITV4), first broadcast on December 3, 2012 liii José Mourinho: “I want to work in a difficult league. I don’t like easy leagues, easy goals, and within the possibilities that exist, there are not many options that satisfy me” in Diario de Notícias, April 8, 2016

Exhibit 1: Most expensive football teams (by estimated value of players, for non-traded players) in Europe

2014/2015.

Team Estimated Value

1. Real Madrid £606.14 € 727.37

2. Barcelona £545.60 € 654.72

3. Bayern Munich £478.85 € 574.62

4. Manchester United £415.80 € 498.96

5. Chelsea £390.50 € 468.60

6. Manchester City £384.78 € 461.74

7. Arsenal £342.58 € 411.10

8. Paris Saint-Germain £329.91 € 395.89

9. Borussia Dortmund £307.78 € 369.34

10. Liverpool £286.88 € 344.26

11. Juventus £280.02 € 336.02

12. Atletico Madrid £260.48 € 312.58

13. Tottenham £234.04 € 280.85

14. Napoli £220.60 € 264.72

15. AS Roma £218.14 € 261.77

Source: The top 15 most valuable football squads in Europe 2014/2014 compiled by thesportster.com:

www.thesportster.com/soccer/top-15-most-valuable-football-squads-in-europe-for-2014-15/, Jan 22, 2015.

José Mourinho

Exhibit 2: Big five European football league winners since 1992/1993.

League Winners

EPL (England & Wales) Manchester United (13),

Chelsea (4), Arsenal (3),

Manchester City (2),

Leicester (1) and Blackburn

Rovers (1)

La Liga (Spain) Barcelona (12), Real Madrid

(7), Atletico Madrid (2),

Valencia (2), Deportivo La

Coruña (1)

Bundesliga (Germany) Bayern Munich (14),

Borussia Dortmund (5),

Werder Bremen (2),

Kaiserslautern (1), Stuttgart

(1), Wolfsburg (1)

Serie A (Italy) Juventus (10), Milan (6),

Inter (5), Roma (1), Lazio (1)

Ligue 1 (France) Lyon (7), PSG (5), Monaco

(2), Bordeaux (2), Nantes

(2), Auxerre (1), Lens (1),

Lille (1), Marseille (1),

Montpellier (1)

Source: Case writer's analysis, leagues websites.

José Mourinho

Exhibit 3: Top 20 club Valuation, Revenue, Debt, and Operating Income

Source: Forbes Soccer Valuation Lists (www.forbes.com/soccer-valuations/list/ & www.forbes.com/lists/2006/34/Rank_1.html), and Case writer's analysis.

José Mourinho

Exhibit 4: Revenue breakdown for the Big Five European leagues 2014/2015 (€m)

Source: Deloitte’s Annual Review of Football Finance 2016. Commercial revenue is disaggregated into

‘Sponsorship/Commercial’ and ‘Other commercial’ in England, Spain, and Italy.

1295

673 643 483 307

2337

731 975 1099

628

768

521 435

210

165

467

318

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

4500

5000

England Germany Spain Italy France

Other Commercial

Sponsorship/Commercial

Broadcasting

Matchday

Average Club Revenue (€)

220 133 103 90 71

Average Match Attendance

36k 42k 25k 21k 22k

Stadium Utilization (%)

96 90 71 52 71

José Mourinho

Exhibit 5: World’s biggest sport leagues by Revenue 2014/2015

League Sport Country # of teams Revenue Revenue

per club

NFL American

Football USA 32 €10.8bn ($13bn) € 339

MLB Baseball USA 30 €7.9bn (US$9.5bn) € 264

EPL Football England &

Wales 20 €4.10bn (£3.4bn) € 204

NBA Basketball USA 30 €4.3bn ($5.2bn) € 144

NHL Ice Hockey USA 30 €3.1bn (US$3.7bn) € 103

Source: CNNMoney, http://money.cnn.com/2015/09/10/news/companies/nfl-revenue-profits/; Forbes,

http://www.forbes.com/sites/maurybrown/2015/12/04/mlb-sees-record-revenues-for-2015-up-500-million-

and-approaching-9-5-billion/#d42ce3e23076 & http://www.forbes.com/sites/forbespr/2016/01/20/forbes-

releases-18th-annual-nba-team-valuations/#392e32c6e3e5; BBC, http://www.bbc.com/news/business-

36034403; and Blomberg, http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-05-25/hockey-s-loonie-problem-

may-cost-nhl-200-million-bettman-says

José Mourinho

Exhibit 6: EPL club takeover since 2003

Date Club takeover

July 2, 2003 Chelsea

December 3, 2003 Bolton Wanderers

June 5, 2005 Manchester United

July 6, 2006 Portsmouth

August 6, 2006 Aston Villa

November 6, 2006 West Ham United

February 7, 2007 Liverpool

July 7, 2007 Manchester United

July 7, 2007 Newcastle United

January 8, 2008 Derby County

September 8, 2008 Manchester City

May 9, 2009 Sunderland

August 9, 2009 Birmingham City

October 10, 2010 Liverpool

November 10, 2010 Blackburn Rovers

August 11, 2011 Queens Park Rangers

July 13, 2013 Fulham

July 1, 2016 Swansea City

August 5, 2016 West Brom

Source: The Guardian, www.theguardian.com/football/2015/oct/06/premier-league-takeovers-clubs-not-

selling; BBC, news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/3036838.stm; and ESPN www.espnfc.com/swansea-

city/story/2905897/swansea-citys-us-takeover-approved-by-premier-league

José Mourinho

Exhibit 7: Transfer spending (for certain EPL clubs) and trophies won during period between 1992/1993 and

2015/2016

Arsenal Players In Players Out Net Spend Per Season EPL

Wins

Champions

League Wins

Before Move to the

Emirates £202,790,000 £132,274,000 £70,516,000 £5,036,857 3 -

After Move to the

Emirates (July 2006) £384,575,000 £275,400,000 £109,175,000 £10,917,500 - -

Chelsea Players In Players Out Net Spend Per Season

Before Abramavich £136,940,000 £68,475,000 £68,465,000 £5,705,417 - -

After

Abramovich (June

2003)

£995,959,000 £415,650,000 £580,309,000 £44,639,154 4 1

Liverpool Players In Players Out Net Spend Per Season

Before Hicks/Gillett

Buyout £270,605,000 £112,020,000 £158,585,000 £10,572,333 - 1

After Hicks/Gillett

Buyout (Feb 2007) £166,750,000 £137,100,000 £29,650,000 £8,471,429 - -

After Henry Buyout

(Oct 2010) £480,450,000 £290,180,000 £190,270,000 £31,711,667 - -

Manchester United Players In Players Out Net Spend Per Season

Before Glazer Take

Over £246,450,000 £121,740,000 £124,710,000 £9,593,077 8 1

After Glazer

Takeover (Jun 2005) £676,500,000 £313,750,000 £362,750,000 £32,977,273 5 1

Manchester City Players In Players Out Net Spend Per Season

Before Sinawatra

Buyout £119,910,000 £67,553,000 £52,357,000 £3,490,467 - -

Afer Sinawatra

Buyout (July 2007) £173,520,000 £21,500,000 £152,020,000 £76,010,000 - -

After Abu Dhabi

Buyout (Sep 2008) £856,800,000 £227,850,000 £628,950,000 £78,618,750 2 -

Source: www.transferleague.co.uk/club-comparisons/transfer-league-tables/premier-league-comparisons,

accessed on Aug 8, 2016.

José Mourinho

Exhibit 8: Net transfer spending by EPL clubs, 2003/04 - 2013/14

Club Purchased Gross Sold Net Per Season

Average

Manchester City £983,520,000 £282,750,000 £700,770,000 £50,055,000

Chelsea £1,058,259,000 £415,650,000 £642,609,000 £45,900,643

Manchester United £757,050,000* £359,600,000 £397,450,000 £28,389,286

Liverpool £729,480,000 £453,910,000 £275,570,000 £19,683,571

Arsenal £444,475,000 £312,270,000 £132,205,000 £9,443,214

Sunderland £256,010,000 £145,000,000 £111,010,000 £7,929,286

Stoke City £146,120,000 £37,595,000 £108,525,000 £7,751,786

Tottenham £583,050,000 £478,100,000 £104,950,000 £7,496,429

West Ham £231,430,000 £132,725,000 £98,705,000 £7,050,357

West Bromwich Albion £150,355,000 £71,199,000 £79,156,000 £5,654,000

Leicester £108,770,000 £46,965,000 £61,805,000 £4,414,643

Everton £229,750,500 £172,416,000 £57,334,500 £4,095,321

Hull City £107,055,000 £51,675,000 £55,380,000 £3,955,714

Middlesbrough £107,055,000 £51,675,000 £55,380,000 £3,955,714

Crystal Palace £115,235,000 £61,400,000 £53,835,000 £3,845,357

AFC Bournemouth £74,170,000 £23,240,000 £50,930,000 £3,637,857

Watford £76,140,000 £45,895,000 £30,245,000 £2,160,357

Swansea £98,345,000 £85,025,000 £13,320,000 £951,429

Burnley £41,805,000 £51,675,000 -£9,870,000 -£705,000

Southampton £226,565,000 £248,000,000 -£21,435,000 -£1,531,071

* £259m has been spent in the last four years

Source: www.transferleague.co.uk

José Mourinho

Exhibit 9: Big Five European clubs revenues 2012/2013 to 2016/2017 (est), in (€m)

Source: Deloitte’s Annual Review of Football Finance 2016.

2946

3897

4400

4820

5830

1297 1498 1418 1480

1630

2018 2275

2392 2650

2750

1677 1700 1792 1930 2010

1868 1933 2053

2750 2980

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16 2016/17

England France Germany Italy Spain

José Mourinho

Exhibit 10: EPL clubs’ revenue and wages 2014/2015 (£m)

Source: Deloitte’s Annual Review of Football Finance 2016. Swansea figures are for a 14 month period to

July 2015.

395

353

331 319

298

196

167

129 126 122 114 113 104 103 101 100 99 96 86

84 79

204 194 192

217

167

107 102

65 78 73 80 87

57 83 77

67 68 70 73 56

29 52%

55%

58%

68%

56%

55%

61%

51%

62%

59%

71%

77%

55%

n/a

76%

67%

68%

73%

85%

66%

37%

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

Man

Utd

Man

City

Ars

enal

Che

lsea

Live

rpoo

l

Totte

nham

Hot

spur

Aver

age

New

cast

le U

nite

d

Eve

rton

Wes

t Ham

Uni

ted

Sou

thha

mpt

on

Ast

on V

illa

Leic

este

r City

Sw

anse

a C

ity

Sun

derla

nd

Sto

ke C

ity

Cry

stal

Pal

ace

Wes

t Bro

mw

ich

Alb

ion

Que

ens

Par

k R

ange

rs

Hul

l City

Bur

nley

Revenue

Wage costs

Wages/revenue ratio

José Mourinho

Exhibit 11: Champions League winners since the introduction of the group stage in 1992/1993

Season Winners

2015-16 Real Madrid

2014-15 Barcelona

2013-14 Real Madrid

2012-13 Bayern Munich

2011-12 Chelsea

2010-11 Barcelona

2009-10 Internazionale Milano

2008-09 Barcelona

2007-08 Manchester United

2006-07 Milan

2005-06 Barcelona

2004-05 Liverpool

2003-04 Porto

2002-03 Milan

2001-02 Real Madrid

2000-01 Bayern Munich

1999-00 Real Madrid

1998-99 Manchester United

1997-98 Real Madrid

1996-97 Borussia Dortmund

1995-96 Juventus

1994-95 Ajax

1993-94 Milan

1992-93 Marseille

Source: UEFA.com, www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/history/

José Mourinho

Exhibit 12: Manchester United net transfer spending and classification from 2003/2004 to 2016/2017 (in

pounds Sterling)

Purchases Sellings

Net

Spending

Man Utd EPL

Classification Comments

2016/17 £149,000,000 £5,500,000 £143,500,000

Mourinho is hired by Manchester United

2015/16 £103,600,000 £75,450,000 £28,150,000 5 Mourinho leaves Chelsea

2014/15 £145,500,000 £41,300,000 £104,200,000 4 Chelsea wins EPL

2013/14 £67,700,000 £1,000,000 £66,700,000 7 Mourinho arrives at Chelsea

2012/13 £63,000,000 £11,900,000 £51,100,000 1 Ferguson retires

2011/12 £52,900,000 £14,750,000 £38,150,000 2

2010/11 £27,200,000 £13,650,000 £13,550,000 1

2009/10 £21,000,000 £85,500,000 -£64,500,000 2

2008/09 £35,750,000 £2,000,000 £33,750,000 1

2007/08 £61,750,000 £35,200,000 £26,550,000 1 United is sold

2006/07 £18,600,000 £14,500,000 £4,100,000 1 Mourinho leaves Chelsea after 3 games

2005/06 £19,500,000 £18,500,000 £1,000,000 2 Chelsea wins EPL

2004/05 £27,200,000 £5,850,000 £21,350,000 3 Mourinho arrives at Chelsea & wins EPL

2003/04 £53,350,000 £40,000,000 £13,350,000 3

Source: www.transferleague.co.uk/manchester-united/english-football-teams/manchester-united-transfers,

accessed Aug 14, 2016.

José Mourinho

Exhibit 13: EPL clubs’ aggregate spending, 2010/2011 to 2016/2017 (in pounds Sterling)

Season Summer window January window Transfers Total Agents Total

2015 /16 2015 £1,073,263,500 2016 £234,025,000 £1,307,288,500 Non-available

2014/15 2014 £1,100,500,000 2015 £180,660,000 £1,281,160,000 £129,857,560

2013/14 2013 £745,579,000 2014 £127,130,000 £872,709,000 £115,261,136

2012/13 2012 £627,881,000 2013 £114,860,000 £742,741,000 £96,673,089

2011/12 2011 £539,150,000 2012 £90,625,000 £629,775,000 £77,003,130

2010/11 2010 £444,300,000 2011 £228,475,000 £672,775,000 £71,868,749

5-year growth 90% 81%

Source: www.transferleague.co.uk, accessed Aug 14, 2016.

José Mourinho

Exhibit 14: EPL clubs’ net debt (2015), in £m

Source: Deloitte’s Annual Review of Football Finance, 2016.

1

48

151

-20

-45

-81

1

-17

1

26

316

-406

-20

-78

-49

-47

-387

-1097

-335

-173

-115

-38

-1

-59

-11

-1200 -1000 -800 -600 -400 -200 0 200 400

Chelsea

Newcastle United

Manchester United

Queens Park Rangers

Liverpool

Sunderland

Hull City

West Ham United

Southampton

Stoke City

OTHER CLUBS

Net cash/bank borrowings

Other loans

Soft loans

José Mourinho

Exhibit 15: Mourinho’s record at Chelsea (all competitions)

Played Won Draw Lost Win percentage

2004/05 59 42 11 6 71.19%

2005/06 54 37 9 8 68.52%

2006/07 64 42 16 6 65.62%

2007/08 8 3 4 1 37.5%

2013/14 57 35 10 12 61.4%

2014/15 54 36 14 4 66.67%

2015/16 25 9 5 11 36%

Source: http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11668/10102592/mourinho

José Mourinho

Exhibit 16: Timeline

1955. Félix Mourinho (José’s father) starts playing at Vitória Setubal, stays until 1968.

1963. José Mário dos Santos Mourinho Félix is born in Setubal.

1968. Félix moves to Belenenses (Lisbon, 1 hour away from Setubal, where young José lived),

stays until 1974.

1982/1986. “Studied Sport Sciences, with a specialization in football, at the University of Lisbon.”

1982/1983. Graduated to senior level, played for Rio Ave (Primeira Liga).

1983/1984. Played for Belenenses (Primeira Liga), where is father coached.

1985/1987. Played for Seseimbra and Comércio Industria (from lower divisions). Ended his playing

career.

1989/1990. Youth coach at Vitoria de Setubal.

1990/1991. Assistant coach at Estrela da Amadora (Primeira Liga).

1991/1992. Assistant coach at Ovarense (2nd division).

1992/1993. Mourinho becomes Sir Bobby Robson’s interpreter at Sporting Lisbon. Robson was

sacked in December 1993.

1993, Winter. Porto hired Robson and Mourinho followed him.

1994 to 1996. Porto wins two championships.

1996/1997. Robson moves to Barcelona, Mourinho followed him to work as an assistant. Barcelona

wins European Cup Winners’s Cup. Robson becomes Barcelona’s General Manager.

1997 to 2000. Van Gaal is hired. Mourinho remains as Assistant Coach at Robson’s

recommendation.

2000, Summer. Mourinho becomes Assistant Coach to Jupp Heynckes at Benfica.

2000, September. Moves up from assistant role, after Jupp Heynckes quits two games into the

season.

2000, December. Leaves Benfica after being refused an extension of the 1-year contract. Refused

to coach from a weak position.

2002, January. Joins Porto, helping the team move from 5th to 2nd position.

2002/2003. Wins Primeira Liga (on the second year at the club) and Europa League.

2003. Abramovich buys Chelsea, Ranieri is the coach (fired at the end of the 2003/2004 season)

after finishing 2nd and losing in the Champions Legue semi-finals.

2004, March 9. Porto eliminates Man United in Manchester by scoring on stoppage time.

2003/2004. Wins Primeira Liga and Champions League with Porto.

2004, June. Mourinho joins Chelsea and, famously declares he is “a special one”.

2004/2005. Wins English Premier League in the first year managing the club. Chelsea is eliminated

in the semi-final by Liverpool, after the Luis Garcia “ghost” goal.

2005/2006. Wins English Premier League.

2006/2007. Chelsea finishes 2nd on the English Premier League and is eliminated by Liverpool in

the semi-finals after losing a penalty shoot-out.

2007, Autumn. Mourinho leaves the club three games into the season. Disagreements with

Abramovich are to blame. Takes his time finding a new project, waits until the beginning of next

season to coach again.

José Mourinho

2008, Summer. Mourinho moves to Inter Milan. Stays until Spring 2010. Wins two Italian titles back

to back.

2009. “José was decorated in 2009 with the Honoris Causa Doctoral degree, by the University of

Lisbon.”Error! Bookmark not defined.

2010. Mourinho’s Inter wins Champions League, after eliminating Barcelona in the semi-finals.

2010, Summer. Moves to Real Madrid.

2011/2012. Wins title with Madrid in the second year with the club.

Spring 2013. Leaves Madrid, three years after arriving, after failing to win the much wanted décima

Champions League.

Summer 2013. Returns to Chelsea, (who has won one EPL, one champions league, in six seasons

after he left). This time, it looked like both the club and the coach had a long-term plan.

2013/2014. Chelsea finishishes third, 4 points behind Manchester City.

2014/2015. Chelsea wins the Premier League.

2015, December. Mourinho is sacked after his worst season ever, leaving the club just above

relegation zone.

2015. “José taught at the High Performance Football Coaching [at the University of Lisbon].”Error!

Bookmark not defined.

2016, May. Joins Manchester United.

José Mourinho

Exhibit 17: José Mourinho’s best quotes

On taking over at Chelsea for the first time in 2004. “I have top players and, I’m sorry, we have a top

manager. Please do not call me arrogant because what I say is true. I’m European champion, I’m not one

out of the bottle, I think I’m a special one.”

On pressure. “For me, pressure is bird flu. I’m feeling a lot of pressure with the problem in Scotland. It’s not

fun and I’m more scared of it than football.”

On the lack of funds available to him to improve his Chelsea squad, 2007. “It is omelettes and eggs. No

eggs - no omelettes! It depends on the quality of the eggs. In the supermarket you have class one, two or

class three eggs and some are more expensive than others and some give you better omelettes. So when

the class one eggs are in Waitrose and you cannot go there, you have a problem.”

On conspiracies (or facts). "The circumstances are difficult for us with the new football rules that we have to

face. It is not possible to have a penalty against Manchester United and it is not possible to have penalties in

favor of Chelsea. It is not a conspiracy, it is fact. I speak facts. If not, I need big glasses.”

On why he had his hair shaved off. “I want to push the young players on my team to have a proper haircut,

not the Rastafarian or the others they have.”

On being sacked. “If the club decides to sack me because of bad results that’s part of the game. If it

happens I will be a millionaire and get another club a couple of months later.”

On criticism of his playing style while Inter Milan boss. “It’s not important how we play. If you have a Ferrari

and I have a small car, to beat you in a race I have to break your wheel or put sugar in your tank.”

On God. “He must really think I’m a great guy. He must think that, because otherwise He would not have

given me so much. I have a great family. I work in a place where I’ve always dreamt of working. He has

helped me out so much that He must have a very high opinion of me.”

On young players. “Young players are like melons. Only when you open and taste the melon are you 100%

sure that the melon is good.”

On his coaching philosophy. “I would rather play with 10 men than wait for a player who is late for the bus.”

On returning to Chelsea in 2013. “I am the Happy One.”

On the media. “[on the] press conference before the game, in my mind the game has already started.”

On Dr. Eva Carneiro and physio Jon Fearn attending to Eden Hazard. “I was unhappy with my medical staff.

They were impulsive and naive.”

On the defeat that apparently sealed his fate. “The two goals are very difficult to accept. It’s a big frustration

to accept because I feel like my work was betrayed, if that’s the right word.”

On Luis Garcia’s “ghost goal” for Liverpool in the 2005 Champions League semi-final. “You can say the

linesman’s scored. It was a goal coming from the moon or from the Anfield Road stands.”

On Mourinho’s Porto beating Manchester United in the Champions League. "I understand why he (Alex

Ferguson) is a bit emotional. He has some of the top players in the world and they should be doing a lot

better than that. You would be sad if your team gets as clearly dominated by opponents who have been built

on 10% of the budget."

Source: www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/jose-mourinhos-most-famous-quotes-7031597;

www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/managers/jose-mourinho/10577760/Jose-Mourinhos-ten-best-

quotes.html; and http://www.football365.com/news/special-jose-mourinhos-top-20-quotes