The Beautiful Game

Mourinho really is losing it. The controlled manner of Chelsea’s 1-0 victory over Liverpool last night was highly impressive, and yet following the game Mourinho chose to focus on the penalty he felt his team were denied for a handball by Liverpool right-back Alvaro Arbeloa which occurred a good two feet outside the penalty area.

“I just go for facts, and again it is a fact. I don’t think anybody can say it was not a penalty. It was a clear penalty, and I don’t know why. It’s happening, it’s happening, it’s happening.”

Are these the words of a great manager or a madman?

Therein lies the fundamental dichotomy in Mourinho’s character which polarises opinions about him in such a pronounced manner. On the one hand is the shrewd tactician, urging his team to attack a Liverpool side and thereby negating the impact of Benitez’s adventurous 4-4-2 which had reaped such handsome rewards in previous away games against PSV Eindhoven and Barcelona.

But on the other hand is the whingeing moaner who sulks like a petulant child at every single decision that doesn’t go his way. He should have been revelling in another accomplished performance from his side, but he chose to moan about the referee. Those who hail him for trying to deflect attention (and pressure) away from his team fail to acknowledge the irreparable damage such behaviour does to his reputation.

His latest outburst creates the impression that he is a genuinely paranoid, compulsive complainer. And no matter how much success he brings to Stamford Bridge this season, it is something football fans are unlikely ever to forget.