How was Jose Mourinho when he was young?

How was Jose Mourinho when young?

Jose Mario dos Santos Mourinho Felix, better known as Jose Mourinho, is one of the greatest football coaches of this generation.

Like it or not, you have to recognize that the guy knows how to win tournaments, that’s why he is so successful and ear what he ears. His style has been criticized by many, including Johan Cruyff and Morten Olsen, and we know that is not as beautiful as Pep’s style, but is effective, and that is what keeps Jose Mourinho in the eye of big teams in the world.

Mourinhho and Guardiola have had some kind of feud along the years, which started when both managers were in Spain leading the big rivals of football; Real Madrid and Barcelona. Now they’ll meet again in English Premier League, but this time under the colors of Manchester United and Manchester City. And we can wait no longer to see that.

But let´s keep talking about ‘The Special One’. Mourinho got public recognition in his 30’s so people do not now much about his early years. Well, that is what we are going to do today. We will drive you through the first steps of Mou and will land to his actual steps.

How was Jose Mourinho when young?

How was Jose Mourinho when young?

Jose Mourinho was born in Setubal (Lisbon Metropolitan area), Portugal, on January 26 of 1963. His father Felix Mourihno, was a professional footballer, he even earned one cap for Portugal, and his mother, Maria Julia Carrajola was a school teacher. They were a middle class family.

How was Jose Mourinho when young?

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Jose’s love for football started from a very young age. His father played as goalkeeper and used to separate from his family often because of his obligations with the teams he played (Vitoria de Setubal and Os Belenenses) and Jose travelled all he could to watch his father play.

When Felix Mourinho retired from playing and started to coach, Jose started to observe training sessions and scouting rival teams. And from a very young age, Jose showed his potential for managing football team as he drafted files and reports for his father games.

How was Jose Mourinho when young?

‘The Special One’ followed his father steps and became a footballer, but instead of goalkeeping he played central defender. He played for Rio Ave (where his father was coach), Sesimbra, Belenenses and Comercio e Industria. However, his career as footballer didn’t go well as he played only 94 times and scored 13 goals in 7 years. His physical skills never met the expectations of teams so he decide to retire and dedicate to coach.

How was Jose Mourinho when young?

Mourinho and his dad

Mourinho studied in the Technical University of Lisbon, he graduated of Bachelor in Sports Science. In his last year of study he got in problems with a math teacher and had to delay his graduation to the next year, in that time he studied Administrative Management, but he felt it wasn’t his thing and finished his Sport Science career.

After his graduation he made the UEFA and FA coaching courses, calling the attention of the former Scotland Manager Andy Roxburgh.

While studying in Portugal, Mourinho dictated some physical education classes, but after graduating of his bachelor’s degree and UEFA coach curse he started managing the youth team of his local hometown team, Estrela da Amadora, he later would become a scout in a team called Ovarense.

But the best was yet to come. In 1992 Lisbon club Sporting CP signed manager Bobby Robson, who did not know how to speak a single Portuguese word, that’s was when the big opportunity came to the young Mou. Jose became the British manager’s interpreter. It was with Sir Bobby Robson that Mourinho started talking and discussing football tactics.

Robson would be soon sacked of Sporting CP in December of 1993. And then signed with one of the biggest rivals of Sporting, Porto. Mourinho moved with him in what resulted a successful reign in Portugal as Porto won the 1994-1995 and the 1995-1996 Portuguese Championship, the 1994-1995 Taca de Portugal, and reached the UEFA Champions League Semi-Finals. Oh I almost forgot, they conquered the 1994, 1995 and 1996 Portuguese Super Cup.

Porto’s impressive season made that Barcelona placed their eyes in Robson. So Bobby signed with the cules and took Mourinho with him. Mourinho moved to Barcelona with his family. Jose became a regular face in Barcelona’s press conferences because of his interpreter role, but he also was having a huge role in the teams tactical planning at training, his tactical interpretation of the game was a huge factor during his time with Robson. They complemented well with each other, Robson was inclined to a more offensive style while Mou liked to design strategies basing on the opponents tactics, qualities and defects.

How was Jose Mourinho when young?

That season Barcelona won the European cup Winners Cup. However, Robson did not continue with Barcelona and moved to England to manage Newcastle, but this time Mourinho did not move with him. They remained as good friends.

How was Jose Mourinho when young?

Louis Van Gaal then came to manage Barcelona, Mourinho worked as his head assistant coach and the duo made a successful season by combining their tactical strengths winning La Liga twice. During that time, Mou got more responsibilities inside the coaching team; he was responsible for Barcelona B and had his own coaching style with the professional team itself. In some games, Mourinho was the head coach and van Gaal the assistant, thing that happened on the Cataluña Cup of 2000, Barcelona won it.

How was Jose Mourinho when young?

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The Great Chance

In September 2000 Mou would have his opportunity as manager in Benfica, after the departure of Jupp Heynckes.  He started with the right foot, but after an election at Benfica to select a new President, things started to decay between Mou and the team. The new president stated that he would select a new manager the next season and rejected an extension contract to Jose. Jose decided to leave the club before the end of the contract. The president of Benfica later would express his frustration at losing Mou.

How was Jose Mourinho when young?

His next job was at Uniao de Leiria, a mid table club of Portugal. He did not stayed much in that club because of his outstanding results, the biggest clubs of the Portuguese league were after him and Porto was the one who signed Mou.

The rest is the history we all know about Mourinho and winning.

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By Matt

Matt is the owner and chief-editor of the Footy Blog, one of the UK's leading football news blogs.