Life in Football Manager

Wow a full week without updating, I have been pretty busy this week doing all sorts of things, the most exciting of all of them in the arrival of a new creature in my life that I have been looking after and sorting out. It is an axolotl (for more information http://www.axolotl.org) and he is look rather content in his tank at the moment, so he has been taken up a lot of my time as well as work etc… But anyway I am back with a new instalments of Managerial Reversal, this time we will see how Jose will get on in the Championship.

Jose has footballing blood throughout his body, being the son of Felix Mourinho the Portuguese goalkeeper. Jose was never very good at football himself and took a more academic root finally getting a degree in physical education. Jose first real big break into professional football was at Sporting Lisbon were he acted as an interpreter for Sir Bobby Robson, following him to Porto and then into Spain when he took the Barcelona job. Bobby got the boot and Mourinho stayed were he gradually gained more responsibilities with the team coaching Barcelona B side at one stage.

Jose got his first management role at Benfica were he was only in charge nine games after elections at the club saw a new president come in who had already lined up a new manager. Jose quickly found a job at União de Leiria and led them to their highest ever position to 5th and a place above Benfica. A year later Jose took the reigns of FC Porto and radically changed the way the team worked, but it came up good when he won the league, UEFA cup and Portuguese cup in the same season. The following year Jose led the outsiders Porto to a Champions League win beating Manchester United along the way and met Monaco in the final. Mourinho then moved to England, Chelsea were he was able to win everything but the Champions League, putting Roman’s millions to good use until he surprisingly left in September 2007.

The special one returns to England sees him in the less glamourous part of the South East, in a place which claims to be the oldest town in Britain, Colchester. He has proved that he can change clubs fortunes with or without money, but can he do it at relegation favourites Colchester?

Season 2007/08

The first season Colchester were predicted to finish 17th, a safe distance away from the relegation zone but nothing spectacular. The first thing Jose was to do when arriving at Colchester was to appoint some new backroom staff, bringing in a Portuguese national coach Peixe as a scout, a guy that looks good at spotting the stars of tomorrow Peixe interestingly as well was a former player of Leiria. Jose also brought in a few scouts and coaches to help build his Colchester team. The first player to come through the door was the cousin of a player that Mourinho heavily pursued in the Premiership, Anthony Gerrard. Another Everton graduate arrived from Walsall with Gerrard, Daniel Fox. In from Northern Ireland Mark McAllister a young striker who I wish I could tell you more about but stupidly I masked the attributes but Mark looks to be a giant at 6′5”. Jose must have spent alot of time in Northern Ireland during his time out of work as he brought in another player from Larne, goalkeeper Chris Keenan who looks like a decent player. Mourinho seemed to favour the younger players another young sprite came in the shape of Oliver Lancashire travelling from Southampton. Brendon Moloney who came in from Forest to complete the youth transfers. The oldest signing that arrived came from Portagual Bruno Mestre in January after starting well for his team Olhanense.

Non of the signings particular played well, or even played at all. By the looks of it all the signings were made to build a team for the future. Kevin Lisbie was one of only a few players that actually played well grabbing 16 goals from 46 appearances, Karl Duguid another player to have a decent season but at 30 I wonder how long he will actually be at the club for much longer. It would be impossible to mention Colchester without mentioning their 42 year old striker Teddy Sheringham who seems to be rotting in the reserves transfer listed as Jose seeks the younger players. But he did manage 17 games scoring 7 goals so there is life in the old guy yet. Colchester only managed to miss the drop to League one by a point above Plymouth and two points above Hull. A rather disappointing season in truth, but the board are sticking with Mourinho’s plan and he stays in post despite the relegation battle. But results against Wolves, Sheffield United and Crystal Palace showed that there is potential there and they are able to beat the bigger clubs in the league. A conservative 4-4-2 formation was the choice over the season showing the Jose is playing it simple.

Season 2008/09

In the second season Colchester were busy in negotiations throughout the summer, Daniel Fox left on loan, Kevin McLeod was sold to Rotherham, Kemel Izzet to MK Dons and Jose seemed to be making a profit for the side selling Oliver Lancashire for £110k to Wigan and Mark McAllister went to Scotland, Falkirk paying £26k for his services. Showing Jose’s ability to not only spend money but bring it into a club. Mestre though didn’t make much of an impact at Colchester and was released from his contract in January Rotherham jumped on him picking up another of Jose’s players. Using the extra cash Jose splashed out £250k to help plug his leaky defence with Hungarian Bela Balogh, Bela looks fantastic for the Championship side with strong attributes across the board, nothing special but he will do his job well . After a few years in Spain former Watford striker Gifton Noel-Williams arrived on a free transfer was an inspired signing. Mourinho continued bringing in his youngsters Andy King arrived from Leicester, Marc Twaddle from Scotland, Jack Ainsley, Aaron Doran, a Manchester United regen Joe Dudgeon and the Norwich young striker Cave-Brown. Completing the transfers over the season was Babayaro who joined up with his former manager on a loan basis from Newcastle and former Porto Goalkeeper Ribeiro who was a free agent in the summer.

After last season the media didn’t have high expectations for Colchester believing they would finish just above bottom of the Championship. But Jose made some improvements from the previous season finishing 19th even though it was with fewer points then last season, it helped by Noel-Williams who was by far the best player of the season scoring 20 goals and made it as the runner up of best signing of the season. The usual suspects were also consistent this season Lisbie again contributing to the cause with 15 goals again many of the new player didn’t see much action apart from Bela who made the most appearances of any player in the season and doing pretty well along with the Ribeiro who looks like a good bit of business between the sticks. In the FA cup Jose met up with his former club Chelsea in the 3rd round at Stamford Bridge. It was a good day for him as he stepped out once again on the pitch were he had won so much for Chelsea. Colchester were strong and it was only a Scott Sinclair penalty that broke the deadlock. Not a very eventful season and Colchester plodded along, but I feel that Jose is plotting behind the scenes to take the league by storm, he won’t be happy until he is able to turn the fortunes around. The problem though why Colchester aren’t breaking up into the top half is because the defence is just leaking so many goals, keep it tight at the back and Lisbie’s and Noel-Williams goals should send them up the table.

Season 2009/10

Another bit of business again in the summer again making a profit for the Essex town club. Chris Keenan who could only manage 5 games during his time at Colchester was allowed to leave on a free transfer and Moloney leaving for the league below going to Huddersfield for £55k watching Colchester turning into a money making project as it seems, I wonder if Jose is pocketing a bit of these profits that he is making, Andy King also left for £55k making it a total of £110k in the bank. The total spending of £44k in the summer the majority of the young regens from the big clubs. Sportings Celestino arrived on a free transfer to go straight into the central midfield was the most exciting prospect for the coming season.

Again the media didn’t have much hope for the U’s believing that they will be again fighting for a survival. But it was the opposite that happened as Mourinho’s three year plan came together and catapulted Colchester up the league finishing as Champions by four points the sured up defence this time contributing and I am sure the 73 goals didn’t go a miss. Noel-Williams securing himself in the hearts of thousands at Layer Road having a excellent season finishing with 24 goals with Mark Yates on the wing being the supplier of many of the goals, Jamie Guy a youngster who was at the club when Jose arrived made the step up and was seen to be favoured in front of Kevin Lisbie whose days seem to be coming to an end although the Jamaican still managed 12 goals. Bela again had a decent season and when he arrived for a mere £250k looks like a bargain now. Although winning the league well this season they didn’t manage to transfer that success to any other competition going out early in both the league cup and FA cup.

But with that success Jose was sure going to attract attention, and he left in the June of that same year leaving for Newcastle United. Steve Coppell took over at Colchester and despite spending £13.5 million was unable to keep them up in their first season in the top flight, Coppell was able to bounce back though through the play offs. Colchester continued to go up and then down and up again and then down again unable to establish themselves as a Premiership side, Coppell eventually stepping aside for Steve Bruce and then Alan Pardew to complete a hatrick of English coaches.

Jose in his second season at Newcastle was able to break them into a top 4 finish in the Premiership suggesting that Newcastle fans should look to the future of the club instead of digging in the past appointing Kevin Keegan. The next season wasn’t so great finishing 7th but finally he delivered some silverware winning the League Cup to give them a place in Europe once again. Jose continued to have success at Newcastle finishing in an European place once again and reaching the Semi finals in the FA cup and quarters of the UEFA cup. Mourinho was able to take Newcastle further in the UEFA cup in 2015 but lost out to English opponents Tottenham but were able to win the league cup once again in the same season.

Jose has been a great advocate in this game for the managers being the critical part of the team, taking a team like Colchester to the big time spending just over half a million. He bought well and tactics were great and was able to make champions of relegation fighters and there was many better squads in the league. Even when he went to Newcastle he was able to bring them trophies and European cup final spending well again. The most interesting about Jose’s time in the game is how he used his experience and knowledge bringing in players from back home as well as trying to relying on building a squad gradually.