Mourinho is back: 10 things we've missed about the Special One

Published 11:46 16/03/10

Jose Mourinho makes his competitive return to Stamford Bridge today for the first time since his controversial departure in 2007.

Chelsea's prodigal son will no doubt be accompanied by his usual entourage of excitement and controversy. His unique style of management may have annoyed some but others would argue he has been sorely missed from the English game.

MirrorFootball's Richard Arrowsmith presents ten things we miss about a problem like Mourinho...

1) The Swagger
From the moment he announced himself as a 'Special One', we were left under no illusions that a legend had arrived.

Mourinho carried a sense of unashamed self importance that reminded us of 'Old Big Head' himself, Brian Clough. Arrogance isn't an attractive trait unless you can back it up and, with a cabinet full of domestic and European titles, Mourinho had the silverware to support his grandeur.

2) The Style
When Mourinho arrived dressed in expensive Italian silk, the image of a Premier League manager swathed in sheepskin was immediately consigned to history. His famous Armani overcoat almost became an icon in itself and still resides in the Chelsea museum.

Other managers have tried but no one has looked as sharp. The closest thing we have now is Roberto Mancini - but would Jose ever clash his tailoring with 'that' scarf?

3) The Spats
Forget Fergie's childish mind games, no-one knew how to wind up the opposition quite like Mourinho.

From his knee-sliding celebrations and shushing Scouse fans to accusing Frank Rijkaard of fraternising with referees and labelling Arsene Wenger a 'voyeur', Mourinho was the arch antagonist who managed to upset practically everyone he came up against.

4) The Sound Bites
There was never a dull moment for journalists at a Mourinho press conference. What he said didn't always make sense but was assured to make headlines the next day.

In football circles, he is quoted more often than Shakespeare. Anyone remember his ruminations on squad strength,: "It is omelettes and eggs. No eggs - no omelette! It depends on the quality of the eggs.” Only Eric Cantona could compare!

5) The Smirk
While well known for his histrionics when prowling the touchline, perhaps the most dangerous weapon in Mourinho's arsenal of body language was the motionless grin that crossed his face when Chelsea scored an important goal.

Watching his pursed lip smirk from the dugout - completely calm while all around him were losing their heads was pure poetry.

6) The Single-Mindedness
Mourinho was a stickler for meticulous preparation and attention to detail, which included compiling individual dossiers on every opposition player. He wouldn’t react to what happened during a game, he would make it happen.

Despite having Russian billions to spend, he forged a side based on team ethics instead of expensive individuals. The core of that team and the way they play remain the hallmarks of modern Chelsea and most of the players he left behind still hold him in high esteem.

7) The Sore Losing
If Chelsea failed to win, which wasn't often during his reign, in Mourinho's eyes the best team always lost.

Commenting on Liverpool's so-called phantom goal that removed Chelsea from the Champions League he said, "It was a goal from the moon, the linesman scored."

He even refused to acknowledge a UEFA touchline ban by allegedly hiding in a laundry basket to deliver his team talks - could you imagine Arsene Wenger ever doing that?

8) The Yorkshire Terrier
Mourinho was arrested and cautioned for allegedly refusing to allow his pet dog, a Yorkshire terrier named Leyla, to be quarantined.

According to legend, he returned home early from an awards ceremony and freed the animal from the clutches of the health officials, attempting to set it free while announcing, "I've sent my dog to St Tropez!"

9) The Sulks
When crossed, Mourinho often reacted like a baggy-lipped teenager being told he was grounded.

He refused to celebrate Porto's Champions League win because of allegations made against him. He didn't speak to Ricardo Carvalho for weeks when the defender told him he was unhappy in the Premier League. And, he even derided Joe Cole for a misplaced pass despite him scoring the winning goal against Liverpool.

10) The Sacking
When someone is as successful and self promoting as Mourinho it’s difficult not to enjoy a sense of schadenfreude when they fail.

So, when Abramovich eventually decided that enough was enough there were some who satisfied themselves with a smug grin of their own.

He may have gone but isn't there a small part of you that wouldn't mind him back?

He's back: bigger, bolder and - in his own mind at least - better than ever, but when will Jose come back for good? Martin Lipton's Big Lunchtime Read

Will Mourinho or Ancelotti triumph in the battle of the Bridge? Have your say

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