#360debate: Is Mourinho silence right?

Sport360 staff 10:36 02/02/2015
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  • 'Chosen' treatment: Jose Mourinho has altered his approach to the media.

    Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho is renowned for his outspoken persona but he has recently given the media the silent treatment. 

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    Sport360's James Piercy and Alam Khan debate whether this is the right thing for 'The Chosen One' to do.

    James Piercy, deputy editor, says YES

    Rules and regulations state that Jose Mourinho is not right to behave in this manner and, from a moral point of view, his press conferences and post-match interviews help provide fans (many who spend considerable amounts of money to follow Chelsea) a greater insight into their club.

    However, while that perfectly reasonable argument is provided by the many disgusted with the Portuguese’s latest vow of silence, they’re unlikely to find too many nodding heads from within the Blues faithful.

    Why? Because firstly Mourinho pretty much walks on water among Chelsea fans and it’ll take a lot more than this before they start moaning about the disconnect between club and supporter.

    Secondly, some, rightly or wrongly, will agree with their manager’s course of action due to a perceived injustice. But  finally, and most significantly, is that they know he’s playing the long game here.

    Jose back in his Porto days

    The £25,000 (Dh138,000) fine for claiming there is a refereeing conspiracy is likely to be administered again but, if anything, that will only round supporters and his team behind him as he ‘sticks it to the man.’

    Mourinho has always been about the psychology of management, and more specifically, leadership, where the simplist of acts can rally the troops. He’s always going to defend Diego Costa, but in continuing his rebellious persona, it’s far more effective to say nothing than to embarrasingly rant and rave.

    John Terry, Branislav Ivanovic and Cesc Fabregas aside, this is a relatively young and inexperienced Chelsea team and they will undoubtedly be in awe of a manager who was winning the Champions League for the first team when they were in their early teens. This behaviour, however petty it may seem on the outside, only enhances his cult of personality.

    Referees won’t admit it, it would be unprofessional if they did, but pressure from managers does have an effect. Sir Alex Ferguson proved that over several decades. Chelsea may not get the first, second or third call go their way but all it takes will be one marginal decision to fall in their favour and it would have been worth it.

    Alam Khan, reporter, says NO

    No one likes a whiner, but I really hope Jose Mourinho’s vow of silence is restricted solely to this past week.

    English football will suffer if the Chelsea boss goes from motormouth to mute in retaliation to a perceived ‘campaign’ against his team.

    In an environment of mundane opinions, it has always been refreshing to hear Mourinho’s differing and forthright views, be it controversial or clever. His passion, pride and desire for success has been evoked through his words.

    So whether or not he feels the media, referees, or the English FA, have an agenda against his side, keeping quiet is not the right way to make a statement. You can understand him taking umbrage at certain media outlets, but not everyone.

    For now he is the incredible sulk and it really doesn’t do Chelsea’s image, nor his, any good to carry on like this.

    All it will do is turn people against them – and incur fines from the Premier League for not fulfilling his duties.

    Maybe that’s what Mourinho wants. To close, and unite ranks and set their stall for more battles ahead amid a siege mentality.

    But any championship-winning side, and one that has provided much joy with impressive performances in the first six months of the season, should not prove unpopular because the manager has got the hump and does not want to talk about it.

    These sort of histrionics are nothing new to the game. But like Sir Alex Ferguson before him, the moans and groans, the rants and rages, make Mourinho the character he is – and just like Diego Costa, you’d love him at your club.

    He fights for his team, lifts them to perform at their peak in the pursuit of trophies, and staunchly tries to defend the indefensible as he did with the Spain striker following his actions against Liverpool. Costa deserved a ban and Mourinho should have accepted it, no matter how disappointed he was to lose his frontman.

    But it’s now time to get over it, and get the focus back on an intriguing title race rather than his tantrums.

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