Speculation about Jose Mourinho looms
Inter Milan and Bayern Munich will compete to determine the Champions of Europe at the Santiago Bernabeu on 22nd May in the UEFA Champions League final. This will crown the return of several former Madridistas currently representing the two sides and also a clash between two of the most entertaining managers in club football history – Inter’s Jose Mourinho and Bayern’s Louis van Gaal.
Madrid is talking more about the former though as speculation looms regarding Mourinho’s future with the Nerazzurri especially considering the growing rumors touting him as the man to replace Manuel Pellegrini as Real Madrid’s new manager. With players like Kaka commenting on Jose Mourinho to the press in the past week or so it does seem inevitable that Manuel Pellegrini will be shown the exit door by the ever fickle-minded Florentino Perez despite a much improved but trophy-less season. The Brazilian though offered support for Pellegrini as well – insisting 56-year-old Pellegrini had done well. He is not the only player to have voiced a public support for the Chilean. But when has that ever been taken into account?
The man in the spotlight, Manuel Pellegrini himself admitted that it his future with the club is uncertain. Pellegrini accepts that the decision will rest with club bosses but he believes they should consider the fact that Real still collected a staggering 96 league points even though they finished second. The Chilean tactician nevertheless accepts that his first campaign at the helm cannot be considered a success as Real did not claim any silverware.
We can’t say it’s been a good season if we haven’t won a title. It is not easy making a team with a new coach and players but I can not evaluate my own work. I have one more year left on my contract and that’s all there is to say.
If they ask me I will say the bases are there for next year and the results prove that. At best, in the future people will recognise what we have achieved, and they’ll see it isn’t easy to get the figures we have in the face of a great Barcelona side, though we still have work to do to cut out errors, and to close the gap on them.
He sounded frustrated more than anything else with what has been going on revealing that he never totally knew whether or not he was going stay for another season or not. He was very right to say that if the person replacing him had to better his record at the club then that particular replacement had to earn more than 100 points in the league. Pellegrini’s men earned 96 points, three shy of the 99 tallied by champions Barcelona.
All year, and especially in recent weeks, perhaps there hasn’t been a clear reply (from the club on my continuity). Amidst the uncertainty I have always had the support of the players.
I don’t think Real speak behind the back of their coach, this isn’t their style. But I am not so innocent to believe that all the rumours are simply speculation by journalists.
If, for whatever reason, the project doesn’t continue the person who comes in will have a difficult job. He will have to win more than 100 points in the league to do better than me. I know failing to win a title isn’t good but I don’t think the final decision will change much whether we win the league or not.
Jorge Valdano was one among those in the club’s management who were behind the appointment of Manuel Pellegrini as the manager of Real Madrid. He had always been behind the manager even in times of crisis during the course of the season but this time even he couldn’t assure us fans that we will have the same man in the dugout for next season. He told Spanish television:
The club will sit down and discuss what course we are going to take for next season. Today isn’t the right moment to be taking decisions. We have a lot of time in front of us and we’ll see what course we take.
Valdano said when asked about the Portuguese coach:
I won’t get involved in this. Mourinho has his battles to fight and we have to continue independent of opinions and other people’s comments.
But this is how all the big moves start. Both parties remain to say nothing about it and boom! All of a sudden all the negotiations are done and the move is complete. The other party here is Jose himself and he has been somewhat coy about his future – the Jose Mourinho style.
It’s not a problem of contract or money and that makes me slightly embarrassed because of what I earn considering the (world economic) crisis there is. It’s a problem of personal satisfaction, to feel respected or not in a football nation where I have had so many problems. It’s not true that I’m the Real coach. After the final, I want to think about my future.
Obviously, Inter cannot do anything more to make me feel happy and feel important. The players are fantastic, so are the fans and everyone at the club. The result of Saturday’s game means nothing. It will not change the fact that I have given everything possible. Inter doesn’t owe me anything and I owe nothing to Inter, because I’ve given everything.
The future does look bleak for Manuel Pellegrini. I am deeply sad for Mourinho and angered by our team management (not for the first time) but at the same time I cannot lie by saying that I am not excited by the fact that Jose Mourinho might be our next manager.
Para Siempre Blanco!
Hala Madrid!!
Just another Madridista
Junta speak