Passion and Desire
It’s kind of funny to me that after I wrote my blog about Jose Mourinho and my admiration for him, that he goes out and gets himself a five game Champions League ban and a $73,000 fine.
Of course this was on the heels of a Madrid-Barca match in which the gaffer was sent off for making a comment to the sideline official. I must admit though that I watched the match and I saw Mourinho tell the sideline official that the red card to Pepe was “well done” and gave him a “thumbs up” sign.
Probably not the best thing to do, I will say that.
But I was stunned he was sent off. Sent off for a “thumbs up” sign?
That match was part of a series of matches between the two largest and well known Spanish sides that is notoriously a bad blooded affair. These clashes are normally heated but turning up the oven and putting the footballers into a larger pressure cooker in the Champions League semifinal I don’t know how there can’t be some sort of leniency given to coaches and players.
I think that both sides were trying to use the referees for their own interests, but it is ridiculous to think that Mourinho should be sent to the stands for his comment and gesture. It would be one thing if he told them where they could go and gave them the middle finger.
But that wasn’t really the story about the match for me. The story was that once again a Mourinho led team had a game changing call go against them when playing against Barcelona in the Champions League.
I have a hard time with some conspiracy theories and I believe that a lot of them are baseless. But I wonder if Mourinho might have a point? Pedro’s red card was a very harsh one and it changed the complete face of the game against Barca.
Mourinho’s criticism included the name of refs who he felt like he had been wronged by. I think Mourinho was frustrated at the outcome and the feeling that he was once again up against something that he could not change. I wonder if I would react the same way in that situation. I think he felt like he had to speak his mind.
And he most certainly did.
He is an outspoken manager with an attitude that screams volatile and confrontational, but as a former referee, I believe that the punishment for Mourinho was harsh.
Looking at Barcelona substitute goalkeeper Jose Pinto, who received a red card during the halftime brawl of the Madrid-Barcelona game, it seems that he got off light with a suspension from the Champions League final. A one game suspension for a fight when Mourinho gets five for words? Is that fair play?
They say that sticks and stones break bones but words can’t hurt. Sometimes I wonder if this is really true.
As the youth soccer season approaches, I know that my team will look to me for guidance and leadership when we step on the pitch. Like I’ve said before, I want to win. I want my team to be the best.
But when decisions constantly go against me, what am I supposed to do? I can start with the calm and peaceful approach but if that fails I have to go plan B. I have to let everyone know what I think. I may not be aggressive 98% of the time, but that 2% is going to be remembered and I think this is the case for Mourinho. People will remember the incidents such as this where he lashes out at referees and officials because let’s face it, he’s fed up. I think he had seen enough and had enough.
You can’t be a world class manager without knowing how to play the mental side of the game. Without knowing how to push buttons and knowing when to stand up even if it means a suspension or a fine. I may never be a world class manager and in fact I’m 100% certain I will not. However, like Mourinho, I’ll be a manager with all my passion, because football is nothing without passion and desire.
No comments:
Post a Comment