Buzzin Football

jose mourinho

At this moment, his attention is fully invested in the return to his old employers Chelsea in the Champions League, but José Mourinho is continually being linked with his next managerial position. However, despite the links with money-bags Manchester City and Real Madrid, the greatest motivation of all for the self-confident Portuguese would be to take up the challenge at Anfield.

This is of course providing the position at Liverpool becomes available, should current boss Rafa Benitez fall on his sword and admit defeat, after a semi-successful but ultimately failed period. Despite last season’s league campaign, the wheels tumbled off at an early stage this season and, in truth, Liverpool have never recovered.

Of course Liverpool fans have had their problems with the fiery ex-Chelsea boss, but if they saw past the frayed relations, they’d see that he is logically their greatest saviour. Manchester United have already matched and are now threatening to surpass Liverpool’s record of eighteen league titles. The power has vastly shifted and Mourinho is the obvious candidate for someone who can rapidly turn the tide and, on a personal note, wouldn’t he just love it?

The Inter boss has become increasingly frustrated by the resentment from the Italian press. He replaced a cherished Italian in Roberto Mancini and has been more increasingly speculating a conspiracy theory against him and his side (see the recent handcuffs gesture; typical Mourinho pantomime). It seems regardless of the Nerazzurri’s success or lack thereof this season, he will walk away from them and the Italian League. Despite his bravado, this is still a man who craves the love and respect of his peers and those that make judgements on his team.

He is undoubtedly an ambitious individual who has made no effort to disguise his desire to return to work in Spain and win the title there; clearly given his managerial track record, this can easily be narrowed down to the big two: Real Madrid and Barcelona. The current European champions are currently operating at the height of their powers under the darling of Catalunya, Pep Guardiola, so there will be no shifting him for the time being, even if they end up empty-handed at this season’s finale.

Of course Mourinho’s name was heavily linked with Real following their shock exit in the Champions League.  Although he managed to respond to the pressure and cultivate instant success at Chelsea with Roman Abramovich’s millions, one feels the Galacticos’ football philosophy is simply too distant from that of the Portuguese, who never fails to mention teamwork as the key to success, instead of the superstar personnel; he may also find it disconcerting that at least one of the players’ profile is bigger than his own, in the form of World Player of the Year, Cristiano Ronaldo. Although entirely conceivable to see José strut his managerial stuff at the Bernabeu next season, it seems more plausible to see Rafa Benitez go there and for the self-titled “Special One” to take the Spaniard’s place at Anfield.

Mourinho clearly enjoyed his time in the Premiership and recognises it as the most competitive league, given the consistency of the English sides in the Champions League. In England he didn’t feel  the extent of the isolation that he does in the Italian league, this may be down to the higher percentage of foreign managers in the Premiership compared to Serie A. So despite any issues and problems he had with certain people and press criticism, he still felt the English media understood and respected him for his endeavour and performance.

The war of words between Mourinho and Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger reached such a level of spite that José made a “voyeur” comment that he actually apologised for at a later stage.  Furthermore, he hardly experienced a cordial relationship with Carlo Ancelotti when the current Chelsea boss was top man at AC Milan, not to mention the fact he’s currently working at Mourinho’ beloved Chelsea, working with a squad that to a large extent was constructed by him.

Then there’s the master, Sir Alex Ferguson, at Manchester United. Despite their three season rivalry, there was a sustained mutual respect between the Scot and the young Portuguese “gun-slinger.” However, you’d imagine there is a sense of unfinished business in Mourinho’s head, as United managed to wrestle back the Premiership title back from Chelsea following two glorious league seasons at Stamford Bridge.

It’s this little community of managers whose sides currently reside in the top three of the English league that would represent a huge personal motivation for the Portuguese. He would love to be among such company again, returning armed with Italian silverware added to his CV. Then there’s the (possible) prospect of Roberto Mancini at Manchester City, whom he replaced at Inter, and in whose managerial shadow he still resides, according to the Italian press.

There is a strong belief that Mourinho would love to replace Fergie at Old Trafford. But Ferguson doesn’t appear to want to go anytime soon, and Jose doesn’t seem like a man who will wait. If he can’t replace him and continue the glory there, why not take control of a title rival and wrestle back both the league title and re-write the history books again after the Old Trafford chief has spent over two decades putting  them right?

Liverpool is as flat as it’s been in a long time; there’s a feeling of decay and a lack of spark. Who better to bring it back with a bang than the Special One? José’s not really bothered about one particular club. Sure he loves Chelsea and the differing challenges at the Manchester clubs would fascinate him. But Liverpool’s potential return to glory will give him all the potential spice he needs to concoct another Premiership recipe for success.  He wants back in the Premiership, when the going’s still good and he has personal scores to settle in true José fashion. Liverpool should come calling and Jose should say yes; just watch the sparks fly.