Arsène the ‘Humble One’ v José the ‘Happy One’

Welcome to another week of “What’s the score?!” – Heinz Tomato Ketchup (the
sauce!) has been working overtime this last week with further rumours of
who Arsenal are going to sign. From a quick recollection of names mentioned,
apparently there are two goalkeepers one CB, two or three DMs, and a couple of
strikers, not including Wayne Rooney, Cesc Fabregas, Marouane Fellani, Gonzalo
Higuaín, or even to mention AC Milan’s, Stephan El Shaarawy.

Of course, there is Lionel Messi
as well…and the transfer window doesn’t even officially open until 1st
July! As has been said over recent days, Arsenal despite trying to do
business early, are unlikely to sign anyone officially pre July 1st
so as to save on ‘dead wages’ – Makes sense?

Arsène
Wenger has apparently been seen in Germany, France, Spain, Italy, and the
latest observation was apparently made in the South Pacific! – FFS!

I was
talking with my pal the
not so fat London Taxi Driver, and with him being the ever pessimist
that he is, he says he doesn’t think we will sign any one of note. I don’t
agree with him, but if mates can disagree and have different opinions, then
fans can too. I have no doubt all will be revealed in due course!

The ‘Special
One’ becomes the ‘(Obnoxious) Happy One’

So, José
Mourinho is finally back at Chelsea. My, oh my, his press conference was like a
Queen’s bloody banquet with reportedly of upwards of some 240 reporters and press
present. Even Sir Alex Ferguson didn’t get that sort of turn out. He says he
now is no longer the ‘Special One’,
but simply the ‘Happy One’. He’s the
bloody ‘Arrogant One’ if you ask me. Talk
about blowing smoke up your own arse! As usual, it was all about him? Please.

In his
press conference, José Mourinho referred to three or four managers, including
Arsène Wenger. Whereas he referred to André (Villas Boas), Steve (Clarke) and
Brendan (Rodgers) by first name, he refused to do the same for Arsène. The
optimist would say he was being respectful, I just say he was just being bloody
rude, or genuinely just sees him as his major competition. He wouldn’t dare
refer to Sir Alex as ’Ferguson’. Obnoxious git!

Of course,
it is well documented how Arsène Wenger and José Mourinho have previously come
to blows with one another. Back in 2005, when
Chelsea’s charge for the Premiership title suffered a blip in 2005, Wenger
answered a reporter’s query by suggesting they “might have lost a bit of
belief”.  José Mourinho made
some detrimental comments about Arsène Wenger when he said:-

“He’s
one of these people who is a voyeur. He likes to watch people. There are some
guys who, when they’re at home, have a big telescope to see what happens in
other families. He speaks, speaks, speaks about Chelsea”

Arsène Wenger’s response was sublime, and you’ve got to love the riposte!

“When
you give success to stupid people, sometimes it makes them more stupid and not
more intelligent.”

Arsène

Despite
Arsenal’s lack of trophies in the last eight years, Wenger still does have an
impressive managerial record of achievement, namely, five domestic titles in total with Monaco, Grampus Eight and
Arsenal, (3 times at Arsenal) and
solely at Arsenal; the FA Cup four times
and the Community shield four times
too.

Add to
that, Premier League Manager of the Season three
times, LMA Manager of the Year twice,
BBC Sports Personality of the Year Coach Award twice, FWA Tribute Award in 2005, English Football Hall of Fame in
2006, Premier League Manager of the Month, 12
times, World Coach of the Decade: 2001–2010 and consecutive qualification
16 years in a row for the Champions League. That is why he is still at Arsenal!

José

As for José
Mourinho, he has won domestic titles with all four clubs he has managed, namely
Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan and Real Madrid, totalling seven times, albeit he only won the Premier League twice with Chelsea, arguably the hardest
domestic trophy to win. Additionally, he has won eight domestic cups with the four clubs he has managed, although he
has only won the FA Cup once. He has
however won the UEFA Cup with Porto and the coveted Champions League on two
separate occasions with both Porto and Inter Milan.

Add to that FIFA World Coach of the
Year once, Primeira Liga Manager of
the Year twice, Premier League
Manager of the Year twice, Premier
League Manager of the Month three times,
Serie A Manager of the Year twice and
the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Coach Award once. All in all not a bad record!

Who is the ‘Better One’?

Well on the honours front it is
actually pretty even, albeit that Arsène has not won a European competition,
which to many, is a defining factor. However, and although I am sure I will ridiculed
for this, I truly believe that the Premier League is a much tougher accolade to
achieve than either La Liga or Serie A and Arsène has done that  tihree tmes so far, to José achieving it
twice. I haven’t included the Bundesliga in any equations, as neither has managed
there.

Early reports have come to light
that José Mourinho intends to build his team around five players, namely,
Ashley Cole, Peter Cech, Frank Lampard, Eden Hazard and Oscar. In that
selection there are three ‘old boys’, so it will not be a simple exercise.
Frankly, I think if the rumours are true, it will be a very tall order indeed,
certainly in the short term. How long will the Chelsea faithful wait for a
trophy? He is rumoured to want rid of Fernando Torres and Juan Mata, who in my opinion
was one, if not the best player in the Premier League last season. There is
also talk of bad blood between Mourinho and David Luiz, so he is another one
perhaps destined for the exit door, although I think that would be a huge
mistake; but that’s why he gets paid vast millions and I don’t!

Maybe José is becoming the ‘Simple One’?
– Not to be confused with the ‘Shloppy One’ (Martin Jol), the ‘Ginger One’
(AVB), the ‘Fat One’ (Sam Allardyce), the ‘Out of Work One’ (Tony Pulis) or the
‘Miserable One’ (David Moyes). Let’s not of course forget the master of them
all, the ‘Twitchy One’ (Rosie Redknapp).

Whatever Mourinho does, and no
matter how talented he may be, it will not be an easy task no matter the
gazillions that Roman Abramovich may give him to spend on new players, and I do
not see the total world domination as many predict, certainly not next season.

In contrast, despite many
complaining at Arsenal’s inability to attract quality players thus far, I truly
believe this forthcoming season for all the reasons that have been discussed
and aired over recent weeks, people will finally take note that Arsenal are now
taking it to a new level. Arsène has done it before, and this year he will
produce a team with a belief in my opinion that will not only be serious
challengers on all fronts, but actually win a trophy, and one of substance. He
will add at least one ‘world class’ player to the squad, if not perhaps even
two or three. He will have the squad hyped up for the new campaign and it would
be a foolish person to bet against him in my opinion.

Ultimately, although many may
disagree, I don’t think there is a lot between Wenger and Mourinho. Both are
talented and capable in their own way, but I think Arsene just tips the balance
for me, and actually has the advantage as no one expects him to do it.

What do you think? Please feel free
to leave a comment or send me a tweet @jeremylebor.
I would be interested to hear your views.

If
it’s not worth knowing… Jeremy knows it!

So,
here is yet more useless trivia about our beloved club!

Did you
know?
– Arsenal are the only team never to have been relegated from the top flight
(league). However, actually, they were relegated in 1914, when World War One
broke out, but remained in the same division as they increased the amount of
teams playing in the division!

Question?
–
Which World Cup winner did Arsenal sell for just £1m? (Answer at the bottom of
this blog)

Thanks yet again
to my good mate, the
not so fat London Taxi Driver, for the above stats! – Keep them coming
‘H’.

If you have
any ‘trivia’ about either the team or
the club, then please let me know and I will gladly post them in this section…
The wackier the better! – Tweet me @jeremylebor.

Last
Word…

Despite
being told nothing new, or with any outstanding revelations made by Ivan Gazidis
at the Q&A during the week, and of course, being the master of spin that he
is, there are, as I eluded last week, there are definitely exciting times ahead
for Arsenal and the supporters, despite the doubters, despite the moaners and
regardless of any of our opinions. There is a plan, there has been a plan for
the last 10 years as to what was/is going to happen, and I for one truly
believe this forthcoming season will leave plenty with egg on their face…Press/media
and supporters! The fickle lot that seem to be out there, you watch, everyone
will be saying how wonderful Arsène is come May next year. This IS our time
when we become a SUPER CLUB!

I have said
it over and over again for a while, and will say it yet again, that Arsène
Wenger has a point to prove, to so many, but most of all…to himself. Love him
or hate him, it is a very foolish person indeed who will write the man off
completely. Given the choice of Arsène or José, I have to say that I would take
Arsène Wenger all day long! Why? Because he is the one person, putting aside
the supporters who does know that this is his final chance to prove what he is
truly capable of…ninth life and all that stuff!

A final
word today about Sir ‘Chips’ Keswick our new Chairman. What a brilliant name! Apparently
he has been a board member for some eight years so knows the club inside out. The
only chips I can remember is the 1980’s hit TV show (ooops, showing my age.) Maybe
he will be our ‘Ponch’! Good luck to him I say, we just need to make sure he
replenishes the fish!

So, now you
know the score… until next week – Jeremy!

PS: Answer to Question
posed above – Gilberto Aparecido da Silva, better
known as Gilberto Silva, was the
World Cup Winner sold by Arsenal for only £1m to Panathinaikos.

Jeremy Lebor

Follow @jeremylebor

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