Bayern Muenchen midfielder Arjen Robben criticized Inter Milan manager Jose Mourinho's coaching philosophy on Thursday. Bayern play Inter in Saturday's Champions' League final. Robben and Mourinho spent three years together at Chelsea.
Robben was respectful, but told BBC Sport: "[Mourinho] puts out a winning team, it doesn't matter if it's done with nice football or not. The philosophy at Bayern is the coach [Louis van Gaal] wants to win games by playing nice football."
A couple of points:
With apologies to Al Davis, if my team plays within the rules, I just want them to win. Mourinho understands this. Comparing his club to the Euro 2004 champions who played extremely defensive soccer, Mourinho once summed up a boring Chelsea victory by quipping "Sometimes, you get grace. Today, you got Greece."
Robben's comments may or may not be prescient for Saturday night, but they could mean a lot more this summer. Real Madrid is the team closest to my heart. Robben left Chelsea for two injury-shortened seasons at Real; Mourinho is rumoured to be on his way to manage the Spanish giants this summer.
Mourinho's nickname is "The Special One", and his teams have won trophies everywhere he's coached. I happen to believe he's the world's best manager, and I'd like him to come to Real and win trophies. He may not survive there.
Fabio Capello coached two seasons at Real Madrid: 1996-97 and 2006-07. The team won the Spanish Liga both seasons. Capello was fired at each season's end because the team's playing style was deemed to be too boring. Jupp Heynckes followed Capello's first term for a single season at Real, netting the club its first European Cup triumph in 32 years. Boring. Dismissed. Vicente del Bosque managed the team for four years from 1999-2003 and brought in two European Cups (and two semifinal exits; Real haven't seen the semis since he left), two Ligas, an Intercontinental Cup, a UEFA Super Cup, and a Spanish Supercopa. Del Bosque was said "not to be a strong enough personality". Goodbye.
Like Bayern, and even moreso like hated rivals Barcelona. Real Madrid are expected to win pretty. Mourinho's my choice, but as Robben points out, the Special One might not fit in.