Wise words by Mourinho

Arguments against the Ballon d’Or and individualism in football: “But I think Wenger said something that is interesting; he is against the Ballon d’Or and I think he’s right, because in this moment football is losing a little bit the concept of the team to focus more on the individual. We are always looking at the individual performance, the individual stat, the player that runs more. Because you run 11km in a game and I run nine you did a better job than I did? Maybe not! Maybe my 9km were more important than your 11.

"For me, football is collective. The individual is welcome if you want to make our group better. But you have to work for us, not we have to work for you. When the top player arrives, the team is already there. It’s not him who comes to discover the team, like Columbus discovering America. No, no, you are coming now to help us be better. And as a manager you have to give this message every day – not with lectures or words. It’s about what the players observe in relation to the behaviour and to the feedback – the way you react to this player and that player; the empathy with this one and that one.

“The only thing you cannot give to a player is the talent. But can you work the talent properly so that he understands the team’s needs? Is he an intelligent, open guy waiting for you to help him be better? Is he the kind of maverick guy, the selfish guy, where it is much more difficult to persuade him the team is more important than he is. I’ve had all of these in every club I’ve ever worked at. There is no perfect group anywhere but if you ask me what’s the most important thing in a player? it’s talent”.

VivaStPauli wrote:Technically Columbus also didn't discover America like in that metaphor. There were people living there. But he's right with the other stuff.

Harmonica wrote:Mourinho has come some way I have to tell you, I seem to like him more and more. Also the comment about distance is a nice one, probably the worst statistic there is to have in a game of football. Football is a game of quality not some extension of Cooper's test.

Eman wrote:

Harmonica wrote:Mourinho has come some way I have to tell you, I seem to like him more and more. Also the comment about distance is a nice one, probably the worst statistic there is to have in a game of football. Football is a game of quality not some extension of Cooper's test.

Funny thing is, I liked him more too when he wasn't in the league my club plays in. Sort of forgot about how much I hated him. I can assure you, however, that he is basically the same guy as before. This doesn't mean he isn't right sometimes.

Eman wrote:
Funny thing is, I liked him more too when he wasn't in the league my club plays in. Sort of forgot about how much I hated him. I can assure you, however, that he is basically the same guy as before. This doesn't mean he isn't right sometimes.

Donuts wrote:

granted everyone will have fans and haters.