For years, Barcelona fans disparagingly referred to him as “the translator”. Jose Mourinho’s ability to interpret facilitated his swift rise as a manager.
And yet, despite his undoubted linguistic skills, there was one word that never seemed to be in his vocabulary, whether in its English, Italian, Spanish or Portuguese variant: transition.
Until this season, that is. The greatest guarantor of silverware, his prowess proved in four leagues, has started to talk of transition with increasing frequency. Once accused of buying success, Mourinho now seems to be trying to buy himself time. It is a strange sight, especially as Arsene Wenger, the manager who has stared long into the future, is growing impatient to win now. It is why Monday’s clash is so fascinating.
Arguably, Chelsea have been in transition for two-and-a-half years, though it was not a persuasive argument when Andre Villas-Boas and Rafa Benitez deployed it. They have won the Uefa Champions League and the Europa League while in transition, but they have not come remotely close to regaining the Premier League in the same period.
Perhaps it is proof the league table never lies and is a true indicator of the scale of the rebuilding job at Stamford Bridge.
And yet, for most of his managerial career, the only transition Mourinho has overseen has been a swift transformation from underachievement to achievement. He arrived at Chelsea in 2004 and promptly won their first league title in half a century. He went to Inter Milan and, in his second season, ended their 45-year wait to become champions of Europe.
So while this strangely assembled Chelsea squad may well be in transition, so, perhaps, is their manager.
Mourinho was the quick fix who is now positioning himself for the long term. His return to Stamford Bridge brought a rapturous reception; Mourinho offers a unique combination of nostalgia and the now. For many, his comeback propelled Chelsea into the status of favourites in the title race. His analytical skills, according to that school of thought, would prove decisive.
Yet instead of the remorseless winners he galvanised nine years ago, the current Chelsea side are strangely inconsistent.
When they reeled off six successive wins in October, their improvement appeared ominous for their rivals. Instead, they produced an abject display at Newcastle United. After three consecutive league victories, their defensive frailties cost them in defeat at Stoke City. With the League Cup offering the chance of a trophy, they lost a lead and the game to Sunderland.
There are times when it has seemed when Mourinho has been confounded by their setbacks. This was one. He talked of reverting to grinding out 1-0 wins. Rather than kicking on, as many anticipated, Chelsea may be subjected to a rethink.
Despite Mourinho’s quest to play with more flair, they lack the aesthetic appeal of Arsenal or Manchester City.
Rather, hampered by Roman Abramovich’s haphazard attempts at squad-building, his is a disjointed group. It has a surfeit of creative midfielders and wingers but lacks the world-class striker the Portuguese desires or a defensive midfielder comparable with Claude Makelele, the anchor of his first Chelsea side.
Given the imperfections in the playing staff, there was always a reliance on Mourinho to be both manager and match-winner.
Yet while his substitutions have changed games, particularly against Norwich City and Cardiff City, victories in the biggest outings have proved elusive. Chelsea have faced five of the league’s probable top-eight finishers – Manchester United, Everton, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City and Newcastle – and they have a solitary victory, gifted to them by Joe Hart.
The Mourinho of his first incarnation at Chelsea was a peerless big-game manager. Perhaps, though, he has changed. He arrived in England with radioactive levels of charisma, a rapier wit and a confidence that bordered on arrogance.
He resembled Brian Clough, another manager who peaked in his early 40s. Now Mourinho is more mellow; as he renews an old rivalry with Wenger, the question is whether he can translate past glory into future triumphs.
sports@thenational.ae
