Op-Ed \ Andrew Rogers

Is Jose Mourinho artist or artisan?

-- Jose Mourinho - June 2004

As a manager, the Chelsea boss has great pedigree, but his rise to the top has been reasonably linear in relation to contemporaries such as Sven-Goran Eriksson, Arsene Wenger, and Gerard Houllier. The aforementioned coaches all had little distinction as players, but overcame this by being brilliant at articulating technical and strategic instruction, combined with an inherent understanding of the unique disposition of the soccer player's mentality.

Like Mourinho, they learned their craft as assistants or at minor clubs, and worked their way to the top. Therefore, while Mourinho is certainly a great coach, he shares his place on the pantheon of successful managers and has followed in a path well worn by many others.

So why does the son of "Sutebol" draw such attention? In part, it comes down to the nature of his personality. Mourinho exudes charisma; any number of managers could and do articulate similar opinions, but struggle to deliver their thoughts so emphatically or more importantly with a Mediterranean drawl.

Furthermore, his comfort in dealing with the media sets him apart; most do not have the inclination or confidence to go toe to toe with the game's journalists and editors. Conversely, Mourinho proverbially jumps into them two-footed with his studs showing.

When one combines this with his self-assurance and smoldering Latin good looks, as a package one is dealing with someone who is very special indeed -- for the media.

The reality of Mourinho in the English football market is that he is now in a position whereby he drives the media industry. The Chelsea manager sells newspapers, creates headlines, and delivers sound bites. An absence of activity on his part creates a vacuum that is filled with stories of "Ferguson must go." -- incidentally, Alex Ferguson's Manchester United currently sits second in the Premier League with a Carling Cup under its belt -- or the pincer movement of "Sven Out" despite England's drama-free qualification campaign and Eriksson's healthy libido for his age.

The extent to which Mourinho has moved football editorial from its bread-and-butter copy was eloquently highlighted last week when he arrived at Barcelona airport. The ensuing media scrum surrounding his arrival was comparable to Madonna or Michael Jackson in their pomp, albeit it they were welcomed, not spat at.

However, Mourinho's bottom line is results in football, not PR stunts in the Basque Region, and in this respect against Barcelona at the Nou Camp March 7, Chelsea's head coach proved that maybe he is not so special.

Like Wenger and Ferguson in their earlier European campaigns, his side looked ill-equipped to deal with the best European teams. Out-thought and technically not as proficient as Barcelona, Chelsea crashed out of the Champions League Round of 16, left struggling to deal with the questions continental sides can ask of English club football.

While historically this is understandable, neither Wenger or Ferguson claimed to be the special one or had unlimited resources at their disposal as does Mourinho.

The result also exposed certain limitations in Mourinho's coaching philosophy, Chelsea's strength is found in its organization and defending. Barcelona had enough skill not to feel pressured by this tactic, forcing Chelsea to create chances rather than exploit plays that it had broken down. It was evident that Arjen Robben, Joe Cole and company have not yet necessarily gained the experience to be confident in such situations.

Again, sides do develop and have to go through stern learning experiences to appreciate the nuances of European football, but the fact remains that given the opportunity to create a side as he wishes, Mourinho has chosen utility and functionality over flair and creativity. Strategically, this is the right move, in order to win a Premier League campaign. Additionally, why change a style that has been successful thus far in his career? Arguably, for Mourinho to be considered special in the wider scheme of football management, he is required to progress the team a little further.

Another area where Mourinho excels is his perception of the soccer's bigger picture. Many clubs have bought their way to success, such as Blackburn and Lazio, but neither has made a similar impact.

Traditionally, on a European and domestic level, Chelsea FC has had little resonance in terms of success or reputation. Under Mourinho's stewardship, the club is now a sworn enemy of European governing body UEFA and the world biggest football club in Barcelona. It is certainly not lost on Jose that if he's going to have a rival, go to the top of the table and create the best possible drama against the most formidable adversary.

As a man, manager Mourinho can not be faulted either. He has never been afraid to drop players for not adhering to his fundamentals. Shaun Wright-Philips and Cole, at times, have lacked concentration and\or positional discipline and, despite plaudits and "Most Valuable Player" awards, have found themselves back on the bench. Amazingly, Cole contritely pointed out that he "would love to be involved again, and hopefully I will be given the chance to prove myself."

In the Premiership, Mourinho's tactics cannot be faulted either. In defense of their league title, the Blues sit in first place, 15 points ahead of Machester United. The level of control his side exerts on opposition teams has been exemplary; the team conceded only 15 goals in the league last season and has set the standards for organization and defensive discipline.

Mourinho's special-ness could also turn out to be his weakness. Having created an incredible excitement around last week's Barca fixture, he failed to deliver. Needing two goals to stay in the competition, he picked Didier Drogba, who has struggled for goals since his arrival. Chelsea went out when it managed only a 1-1 draw with Barcelona. Frank Lampard's penalty kick in stoppage time far too little, too late.

When he did adjust the side, he replaced Cole with Robert Huth. The center back proceeded to break up every Chelsea attack it tried to create. There were also still four defenders on the pitch and Wright-Philips remained on the bench, suggesting he does have some experiences to gain.

However, the Chelsea head coach has earned the right to make mistakes and prepare for major competitions as he wishes. He recently negotiated a $37.5-million five-year contract before bonuses; his only motives are likely to be excellence, and when and where he decides to leave the game.

Jose Mourinho, master of his own destiny; artistic indeed and a very special figure in Association football.

Andrew Rogers, a regular contributor to the United Kingdom's League Paper and Non League Paper, lives in Sunbury on Thames in England. Formerly the director of communications for the Long Island (N.Y.) Rough Riders, he is a UEFA 'B" license coach and plays semi-professionally with Spelthorne FC. E-mail Andrew Rogers.

Do you have a comment on this story or something to say about soccer in general? Send us a letter.