As Mourinho struggles to get his red devils out of the red he goes up against Claudio Ranieri’s team later today.
Around this time last year Mourinho might have dismissed any challenge that Ranieri could bring up against him with a smirk and a smile ,saying to himself – he’s a has been.
Unfortunately for Mourinho the tables have been quite unexpectedly turned in Ranieri’s favour and it is Mourinho who has now to work against a nagging suspicion among many that he’s on the way to being a has been.
Some memorable quotes between the two managers..
“I am not like Mourinho. I don’t have to win things to be sure of myself,” Ranieri had said when challenged over his record back in 2008. Mourinho’s response was typically barbed.
“I guess he’s right with what he said. I am very demanding of myself and I have to win to be sure of things,” he said. “This is why I have won so many trophies in my career.Ranieri on the other hand has the mentality of someone who doesn’t need to win. He is almost 70 years old. He has won a Super Cup and another small trophy and he is too old to change his mentality. He’s old and he hasn’t won anything.”
I studied Italian five hours a day for many months to ensure I could communicate with the players, media and fans. Ranieri had been in England for five years and still struggled to say ‘good morning’ and ‘good afternoon’.”
“This is not the kind of football I like,” said Ranieri in response. “I’m different as I like respect and I give respect. It’s too easy to motivate a squad by creating a siege mentality and feeling under attack from everyone. Sport is an important vehicle for Italian society.
“Behaving like this is launching ticking time bombs. I am a man of sport and I like football. Is Mourinho a phenomenon? It is the media that gives him that aura. For me he is a good coach and I won’t add anything more.”
Ranieri has had the last laugh and has proved pretty well that nice guys don’t have to finish last.