The Greatest Showman

The jewel in the crown that glimmers far brighter than all others. The single star that shines bright, even as the clouds swallow the sky. Like a fire in a room of shadows, special by name, special by nature.

Greatness is a term loosely used in today’s world, yet greatness remains an understatement to truly crown the brilliance this man brought to the game. A charismatic, exuberant show of arrogance, the perfect imperfection. Football is a game flooded with personality; however, this far exceeded all predecessors. An asteroid had struck the footballing world, and the incumbent fossils that plagued the game with boring and generic approaches to management were about to witness their first big bang. False prophets are prevalent, those sheep in the clothing of wolves, but this was no sheep; this was indeed a ravenous wolf, hungry with a sheer desire to fulfill his hunts. This was no false prophet; this was the truth. The special one had arrived, and his name was José Mourinho.

Beginning his career as an interpreter for the late great Sir Bobby Robson, it was clear José’s understanding of the game was built on strong foundations. Mourinho would then go on to become a coaching assistant for Robson and later Louis van Gaal, assisting in coaching a Barcelona side that included the likes of Pep Guardiola and Luis Enrique. However, it remained clear that Mourinho’s future was not confined simply to a role on the coaching staff; this was a great footballing mind ready to explode. A well-nurtured and learned coach, who had played understudy to some of football’s greatest. Yet it was time for the student to become master. Following brief managerial spells at Benfica and Leiria, it was Porto where José would announce himself to the world. How poetic, still in his managerial infancy, only three years into first-team management, José would go on to shock the world, winning a UEFA Champions League trophy with heavy underdogs, Porto.

Trophies are often coined the currency in football, and there is no trophy in club football that grants greater wealth than the Champions League. This monumental feat did not go unnoticed. There was a particular London club on the rise, who had been taken over by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, who dreamt of creating a West-London dynasty. Who better to spearhead a fast-track of Chelsea into the list of European elites than the man proven to do just that? The marriage between Chelsea and José Mourinho was destiny and was officially signed off. The special one had arrived in England, a land plagued with the dominance of two spectacular figures. The King in the North, Sir Alex Ferguson of House Old Trafford, and the French King in the South, Arsène Wenger of House Highbury. They held the duopoly in the Premier League, with the prior seven league titles falling to the Mancunians or the North London Reds. However, all eras come to an end, and all periods of dominance need a valiant challenger, and there was no contender more worthy than Mr Mourinho of House Stamford Bridge. The friction between the Premier League’s two dominant tectonic plates, José caused an earthquake that disrupted the natural equilibrium in England. A personality viewed as abrasive to opposing managers, but a personality that inspired and brought belief to West London. A belief that Chelsea no longer had to play victim to the bullies in red. A blue moon was rising, and the wolf that led the pack commanded dominance and built a formidable machine.

86 consecutive home matches unbeaten, 15 league goals conceded in a whole season, most clean sheets kept in a Premier League season (25), and the most points in a Premier League season at the time (95). All records were achieved by José on his way to achieving three Premier League titles, including a first in 50 years for Chelsea, as well as one FA Cup and three League Cups. A style that polarised many; unlike the beautiful intricate passing football embodied by Arsenal, or the blistering and clinical counterattacking style of Manchester United, Mourinho prioritised defensive resolution and physicality in attempts to dominate both physically and psychologically the opposing side. The once frail and timid Chelsea side became the league’s bullies.

Mourinho built a legacy at Chelsea that remains to this day; a reputation of guaranteed trophy success that followed him throughout his career. Eight league titles across four different leagues in Europe, two Champions Leagues, and sixteen other major trophies, including a completed European trophy set. For most, winning trophies is rare; for Mourinho, winning is a formality, an internal demand for success that filtered through to players and fans alike. A figure that football needed, with a persona that football will likely never experience again. Hated by many, adored by most, a true visionary, strategist, and maestro of a manager. Mourinho will forever be remembered for his impact on football and will forever be revered as the special one. The student became the master.