Jose Mourinhos relationship with Sir Bobby Robson soured and his bond with Brendan Rodgers is heading the same way Jose Mourinho and Sir Bobby Robson worked together at Barcelona Jose and Brendan Rodgers have similar relationship from time at Chelsea Chelsea and Liverpool clash in Capital One Cup semi-final on Tuesday Sportsmails Joe Bernstein worked closely with Sir Bobby Robson during the former England managers time as a columnist for the Mail On Sunday. He witnessed how Sir Bobby and Jose Mourinhos relationship deteriorated and sees the Chelsea manager and his former protege Brendan Rodgers going the same way. My greatest privilege as a football writer was to know Sir Bobby Robson and to work with him for many years on his column for the Mail on Sunday. Amidst all the fantastic memories, it was a deep regret that Bobbys relationship with Jose Mourinho became strained in the final part of his life despite a shared history that saw them work closely together at three clubs before the Special One took off as a manager in his own right. My personal belief was that they were akin to a father and son who struggled when the younger man became successful. Bobby was perhaps envious that Jose, a 29-year-old translator when they first met at Sporting Lisbon, won the English league championship and European Cup (something Bobby didnt manage) and became a bit miffed that Mourinho didnt give his football father much credit. For his part, Mourinho maybe felt Bobby didnt give him enough credit for his incredible achievements, and bristled at the thought of still being regarded or referred to as a former interpreter. Most families can probably relate to complexities in close relationships but given Bobby and Jose both had such powerful personalities, it ran deep. Bobby was upset and angry when Jose didnt pop round to see him before a Newcastle-Chelsea game as he waited inside St James Park. When the great and the good in the football world attended Bobbys memorial service at Durham Cathedral in 2009, Mourinho was conspicuous by his absence. It should rightly be pointed out he has subsequently helped support the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation which has raised millions to fight cancer. I see similarities in the dynamic between Mourinho and Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers, who clash on Tuesday night in the Capital One Cup semi-final second leg. Only this time Mourinho is the older man. Rodgers was 31 when Mourinho gave him a job at Chelseas academy. The pair shared plenty in common; an unfulfilled playing career, a small physical stature that bore no resemblance to their huge talent and ambition, even the same birthday, January 26. Rodgers has spoken movingly about how Mourinho gave him the confidence as a relative nobody to believe he could strive to be a top manager. And yet since Rodgers has started to display his potential, most notably last season when his Liverpool team came close to winning the Premier League, fault lines have developed in their relationship. Mourinho will never admit it but he seems extra-keen that his protege Rodgers should not be as successful as him. Chelsea turned the title race by beating Liverpool 2-0 at Anfield last April despite the game being sandwiched between two legs of a Champions League semi-final (which they lost). Chelsea had less riding on that Liverpool game last April than they did against Bradford City last weekend but were infinitely better prepared and motivated. Mourinho didnt even seem to mind that Manuel Pellegrini, a man he has never got along with, won the league instead of Rodgers. If that is hearsay, it is undeniable that some Mourinho barbs have made life harder for Rodgers, who was meant to be his friend and looked up to him as a mentor. The recent stuff from Mourinho about Steven Gerrard - Im not happy he leaves, I would love the Premier League to keep hold of the best players – was mischievous at best given that Rodgers is already under scrutiny for allowing a Liverpool icon to depart Anfield. You can be sure Rodgers felt deeply hurt by a so- called friend wandering into an area he didnt need to. No longer does the Liverpool manager laugh off Mourinhos verbals with the attitude he first had at Anfield: Thats Jose, I know him. After Chelsea won at Anfield last season, Rodgers retorted: It’s not difficult to coach to just get 10 players right on your 18-yard box. It was a clever dig given that Rodgers knows his mentor has been criticised for a Machiavellian win-at-all-costs attitude, whether through negative tactics or gamesmanship.
Posted on: Tue, 27 Jan 2015 19:21:17 +0000
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