You’ve got to love this guy Jose Mourinho. The new Chelsea boss, who guided Porto to supremacy in Portugal and, ultimately, last season’s shock Champions League triumph, just doesn’t know when to keep his mouth shut.
I guess when you started life as Bobby Robson’s interpreter at Sporting Lisbon, that’s just how it is.
Mourinho achieved miracles at Porto without much to spend. With Roman Abramovich’s open chequebook at Chelsea, he has no choice but to achieve European dominance by next May.
His Stamford Bridge predecessor, Claudio Ranieri, got the Blues to second in the league and furthest of the English clubs in Europe last season. But we were told by that nice chief executive chappie Peter Kenyon that the club hoped for more entertaining, thrilling stuff for their millions.
So far, Mourinho has managed two uncomfortable and far from attractive 1-0 wins against Manchester United and Birmingham City and an only slightly more pleasing on the eye 2-0 victory over newly promoted Crystal Palace.
And he doesn’t like the grumbling he’s hearing. Mourinho said: ‘Football people in England should stop and ask themselves for what reason English football does so badly abroad. Spanish, Italian and Portuguese clubs have all won in Europe but England can’t do it.
‘You have to think about the reason the English national team has a top manager and top players and goes to the European Championship and World Cup and can’t win.
‘My philosophy gave me six titles at Porto in two years. My philosophy? To win!â€
And when he was asked about Arsène Wenger and that long unbeaten record at Arsenal, he put his foot squarely in his mouth again.
‘But Wenger couldn’t win the Champions League, no? One day I think it will be possible to win the Champions League with Chelsea.â€
If you carry on spouting arrogance like this, Jose, it had better be one day next year.
This weekend, here’s how it may just pan out:
Villa vs Newcastle
Aston Villa were crushed 3-0 at Charlton during the week, rather spoiling my hopes of them being the surprise package this season. I stick with them as a coming force and, with Newcastle held 2-2 by Norwich on Wednesday, this is one David O’Leary has to win if his side hopes to join the top five.
Verdict: Villa 2 Newcastle 0
Blackburn vs Man Utd
Blackburn’s Dwight Yorke obviously has a point to prove at Ewood Park. Alex Ferguson threw him out, Graeme Souness nearly did. But Yorke can’t win it on his own and the Rovers couldn’t even beat Southampton last week. United have Cristiano Ronaldo back from Portugal’s awful Olympic campaign and they shouldn’t slip up in this Lancashire derby.
Verdict: Blackburn 1 Man United 3
Chelsea vs Saints
I told you a month ago Southampton’s Paul Sturrock would be the first managerial casualty of the season. He was in charge for only 13 games, but the rumours are he didn’t know how to handle gentle, spoilt Premiership professionals. Steve Wigely has been put in charge and, after a midweek home loss to Bolton, faces the multi-millionaires of Chelsea. Poor lamb.
Verdict: Chelsea 4 Southampton 1
Everton vs West Brom
Everton bounced back well with a 3-1 win at Crystal Palace on Saturday after the opening 4-1 thumping at the hands of Arsenal. But with Newcastle and Manchester United making £20-million bids for the still-injured Wayne Rooney, things remain unsettled. Surprisingly unbeaten West Brom, with Nigerian Nwankwo Kanu the man to watch, could just manage a fourth draw out of four.
Verdict: Everton 1 West Brom 1
Man City vs Charlton
Kevin Keegan will be the next manager to go. He’s spent plenty of money and bought real talent to the new City of Manchester stadium, but he just can’t seem to get players like David James, Danny Mills, Claudio Reyna, Robbie Fowler, Shaun Wright-Phillips and Nicolas Anelka to play as a unit. Alan Curbishley, on the other hand, gets lesser players to combine with far more effect.
Verdict: City 0 Charlton 1
Boro vs Crystal Palace
I still can’t decide about Middlesbrough. They did so well to go 3-1 up at Arsenal last Sunday, then blew it to end up 3-5 losers. They won 2-0 at Fulham in the week so they shouldn’t have much trouble with promoted Palace, who already lie bottom of the table after three games. It’s that forward line of Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Mark Viduka and company that should put them up in the top eight. Losing to Palace is out of the question.
Verdict: Boro 2 Palace 0
Spurs vs Birmingham
Tottenham have started much better than their French boss Jacques Santini expected. He talked about writing off the first month of the season but five points in three games puts them right up there, while Steve Bruce’s Birmingham haven’t had much luck. Things should change this weekend.
Verdict: Spurs 0 Birmingham 2
Norwich vs Arsenal
Predictably, Norwich, like Crystal Palace and West Brom, have not made a sparkling start. The division one champions put up a reasonable fight against Manchester United last weekend and chef-cum-chairperson Delia Smith looked reasonably pleased, and they got a superb point at Newcastle on Wednesday. At Carrow Road against Arsenal, Delia’s men will have to cook up something special.
Verdict: Norwich 1 Arsenal 1
Bolton vs Liverpool
I expect big things from Liverpool this season under Rafael Benitez and they’ve started well. Bolton, with Jay Jay Okocha still at the top of his game, fell to Andy Cole and Fulham as I predicted last week, but they bounced back with a win at Southampton. Liverpool striker Djibril Cisse might be the man this week. He needs to show us what all the fuss is about.
Verdict: Bolton 1 Liverpool 3