Pochettino vs Mourinho: contrasting the two coaches ahead of Tottenham semifinal
The contrast between Mauricio Pochettino and Jose Mourinho is palpable. Let’s take a look at the virtues, or vices, that set the two apart.
Trophies
Mourinho apologists will be quick to point out that the biggest dichotomy between the two may be the trophy haul.
A loss on Saturday would mean yet another year in management without silverware for Pochettino. The closest the Argentinean has come in his four years at Spurs was the 2015 League Cup, falling at the final hurdle to Mourinho’s Chelsea.
Victory that day was just one of many in Jose’s silver-spangled career. Mourinho, even in his current, somewhat underwhelming tenure at Old Trafford, boasts two major trophies and a Charity Shield after just one full season.
Style
Brazilian fans would describe the stylistic battle as futebol arte versus futebol resultados.
Poch has instilled an attacking playing style that epitomizes the ideals of the club. Albeit ultimately falling short, his side has arguably played the most entertaining football during the previous two seasons.
There is no reason aesthetics and efficacy cannot co-exist, but the Argentinean will need to use all his savvy to outwit the fastidious Mourinho this weekend.
Jose’s United play with the shackles firmly on their wealth of offensive talent to such an extent that even Louis Van Gaal branded them ‘boring.’
But Mourinho does possess an uncanny ability to pull off a result when needed, such as recent coups against Liverpool and Manchester City. However the former, played at Old Trafford, came with just 32% possession. Such a soporific approach is simply not sustainable for a club with a rich history of gung-ho football.
Youth
Poch is renowned for his development of young talent in a role that stretches further than simply throwing them in the starting XI.
Poch vehemently defends his young stars, highlighted this season in the case of Dele Alli. Time and again Poch has jumped to his defense, most recently touting him as the world’s best youngster.
Although Jose has introduced Scott McTominay, he has arguably done considerably more damage concerning United’s other young stars. A post match harangue, seemingly aimed at Luke Shaw, led many to accuse Mourinho of bullying tactics risking detrimential effects to the young defenders development.
Persona
The ex-Madrid manager fosters a sense of victimhood wherever he goes. His obsession with courting the limelight, caricatured in a post EL Clasico press conference, made him the anathema of Spanish football.
This season Jose has not only belittled his players, but also the club’s history and its fans. While Mourinho’s idiosyncrasies may be amusing from the outside, it must be tiresome for those within the club.
In contrast, Poch is never one to throw his toys out of the pram. He adopts a stern, no-nonsense attitude and is quickly purging the club of a long-held sense of victimization, or as Spurs fans like to call it, their Spursyness.
As a result, perpetual collapses, St. Totteringham’s day, Stamford Bridge woes, are just a number of hoodoos that continue fall under the Argentinean’s stewardship.
Legacy
Even Jose’s most earnest defectors would struggle to deny him as one of the greatest of his era. However, his reign in Manchseter is far from the apotheosis of his career and his hourglass already looks bottom heavy.
While Poch is building a lasting legacy at Spurs, it is rather idealistic for fans to simply cite the great Danny Blanchflower’s definition of glory to justify a lack of silverware.
Next: Reactions to Tottenham’s loss to Manchester City
Poch’s side must mark their progression with a trophy, and they can take one giant stride towards real glory with a win on Saturday.