Product Description

In just a few years, José Mourinho has proved himself to be one of the most successful and controversial of football managers. He arrived in London in the summer of 2004, to take on the role of the manager at Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich’s Chelsea. His impact on English football was immediate, with his unmistakeable self-confidence, style, drive and ambition. Now he has moved on to Inter Milan where, once again, he has become the focus of media attention. But how did his career start? What led him to becoming one of the great enigmas of World Football?  This fascinating book charts his rise from relatively humble beginnings as assistant coach to Sir Bobby Robson, to become the most sought-after club manager in Europe.

Readers will gain an insight into Mourinho’s management skills, as well as his whole footballing philosophy, and his approach to motivating his players. Mourinho himself writes of his move to Roman Abramovich's Chelsea and of approaches by other clubs; his ‘mind games’ with Sir Alex Ferguson as Manchester United are knocked out of Europe; and his fears for his personal safety and that of his family after receiving a death threat on the eve of what should have been the biggest night of his life.

Long-term family friend, Portuguese journalist Luís Lourenço guides us through the formative years in Mourinho's coaching career, as he returns to Portugal from Barcelona at the turn of the millennium and embarks on the remarkable four-year journey which will lead him to Chelsea. A journey which includes short-lived yet turbulent spells at Portuguese giants Benfica and minnows União de Leiria, and culminates in a night of unforgettable glory for FC Porto and José Mourinho as they are crowned Champions of Europe.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #451050 in Books
• Published on: 2008-08-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 224 pages

Customer Reviews

Excellent
A great read for anyone looking for an insight into the great man. Explores his early and successful career prior to joing the mighty Chealsea FC.

A good biography
Great biography of Jose and his time as a manager in Portugal. The discussion of tactics and footballing philosophy was very interesting and well presented. It gave great insight into what it takes to be a manager involved in multiple championships (league, league cup, european cup) and how to get the best out of your players and staff. Of particular interest was how the club as a business was portrayed. The discussion of the front office, trainers, assistants, players, stadium grounds crew, and everyone else that contributes to the final product that is a football match was very interesting.

Too many scores
If you are reading this book you probably already know how his run in Portugal went. Much of this book read like an outdated newspaper as it was simply reporting scores. I would have liked to see a lot more insight into Mourinho's philosophies and less box scores. I would have also liked to read a lot more about his formative years as a coach. This books starts with his first head coaching position.