Machiavellian Mourinho
They are José Mourinho's famous "Mind Games". Where does he get inspiration? We suspect one of the most victorious coaches in the world has been studying the Florentin “We must take the results more into account than the means to achieve them.”
MOURINHO:
I always told the players:
They don’t like us,
because we win.
A year, two years ago,
they loved your team,
but you didn’t win anything.
Now they hate us, but we
win games,
so we’re good.
“Where the willingness is great, the difficulties cannot be great.”
Machiavelli, The Prince
MOURINHO:
I can’t
tell the truth.
Because I don’t
feel freedom.
"I never say what I believe, nor do I ever believe in what I say, and if sometimes I happen to speak the truth, I conceal it among so many lies that it is difficult to recognise it."
Machiavelli, letter to Francesco Guicciardini (May of 1521)
MOURINHO:
The only thing that I
want to say is that we
are the best.
In normal conditions
we are much better.
And in normal conditions
we will be champions. In abnormal conditions… we will also be champions.
“A Prince must not worry if he incurs reproach for his cruelty so long as he keeps his subjects united and loyal.”
Machiavelli, The Prince
MOURINHO:
You talk of Pedro Leon
it seems like you are talking
of Zidane or Maradona.
Pedro Leon is a great
player, but he is a player
that only two days ago
was playing for Getafe.
“Whenever men are not obliged to fight from necessity, they fight from ambition.”
Machiavelli, Discourses on Livy
MOURINHO:
Only a few days ago someone
called me a coach
of titles. And not a
football coach.
Thank you.
I like being
a coach of titles.
“One must be a fox to recognise traps, and a lion to frighten wolves.”
Machiavelli, The Prince
MOURINHO:
I don't like
intellectual
prostitution.
I don’t…
“Before you make a decision, take advice from many; when you know what you're doing, share the decision with a few.”
Machiavelli, The Art of War
MOURINHO:
Victories have
many fathers.
Defeats have
just one,
and that's me.
“Upon this, the question of whether it is better to be loved than feared arises. It may be answered that one should wish to be both loved and feared, but, because such combination is difficult, it’s much safer to be feared.”
Machiavelli, The Prince
MOURINHO:
The only one who has won
the world’s three most important
leagues was me. So,
like me or not, value me
or not… the only one.
So, maybe instead
of the 'Special One', I should
start being called the 'Only One’
until someone wins
the three leagues like I did.
“The first method for estimating the intelligence of a ruler is to look at the men he has around him.”
Niccolò Machiavelli, The Prince
MOURINHO:
Fear for my job?
No way.
Football is football,
how do I fear for my job?
At no time
do I fear for my job.
“Entrepreneurs are all of those who understand that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity and are able to turn both to their advantage.”
Machiavelli, The Prince
MOURINHO:
Life discipline, work
discipline, every aspect
that is fundamental for
them to have a top level
career has to do
with our leadership.
And in order to lead that kind of people,
we need to be
very well prepared
“It is better to make mistakes that we regret than to regret doing nothing.”
Machiavelli, The Prince
MOURINHO:
I’d like to play tomorrow and not on Saturday. I wouldn’t want to wait for so long, because I think people of character, like football professionals, after such an awful match and such a negative result, need to go back to practice, need to play again and need to win again.
“He who wishes to be obeyed must know how to command.”
Machiavelli, The Prince
MOURINHO:
Honestly, do you think my players are not with me? You think my players are not giving everything to win the game? I think that’s really sad. Not to me, but to the players. It’s a lack of respect for the players.e Political scientist Niccolò Machiavelli's books and believes he's "The Prince".