Mourinho’s Real Madrid – Staying?
As the European Cup winning coach moves ever closer to his next management role, which current Madrid players will Mourinho be looking at to form his team.
Announced by the club this morning, Jose Mourinho will officially become the Real Madrid manager on Monday after the Spanish giants agreed a compensation package with Inter Milan for the Champions League winners services.
Done Deal?
The worst kept secret in football became official when club president Massimo Moratti (Inter Milan) and Florentino Perez (Real Madrid) met in Milan to thrash out the fine details of a deal which would allow Mourinho to end his two year stay in Italy. A club statement from Inter Milan on their website said: "President Massimo Moratti and FC Internazionale thank Jose Mourinho and his coaching staff for the work done in two successful seasons on the domestic and European fronts."
Less than a week after he led his Inter Milan side to the third part of a historic treble, Jose Mourinho will find himself in the hot seat at the richest, and possibly best known football club in the world. His mission is to overhaul the current champions of Spain, Barcelona, a team the Portuguese manager worked for in the early 1990', and who he has since had a checkered relationship with.
Real will be hoping that their new appointment will be able to bring them more success than former manager Manuel Pellegrini who was dismissed earlier this week having failed to win a trophy with Madrid despite spending nearly £200m on new players in the summer of 2009.
Mourinho's New Squad
The former manager of Chelsea and Inter Milan is likely to be given an unlimited transfer kitty to overhaul their Catalan rivals in La Liga, and win the European Champions League for the first time since 2002, but there are some of the club's current players that Mourinho will be hoping to keep at the core of his squad:
Iker Casillas
International and club number one, Casillas has been through several Real 'revolutions' and is likely to play a huge role in their latest. Young, experienced and talented, the Spanish goalkeeper is a connection between the club's youth system and their first team. He is likely to be kept around by Mourinho, not just because he is the best goalkeeper in the world but he also represents the club's fine traditions.
Sergio Ramos
Vice-captain at the club, Ramos has been one of the reasons for Real's improved defensive stability since the end of the 'Galacticos' era. An international class player, Ramos could return to his unfavored position of right back because of the attacking options that he provides going forward. At Inter and Chelsea, the Portuguese manager liked to have options from his full backs and is likely to aim for the same approach to make his new team a more solid unit.
Raul
Nicknamed 'The King' at Real Madrid, Raul has become the symbol which epitomizes the legacy of the Spanish giants, and it is unlikely that the new manager of the club will want to upset supporters and risk the wrath of the heirarchy by disposing of the club captain. In more recent years, Raul has been unable to break into the Spanish squad because the talent available and he may be used more sparingly in the next few months due to his age.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Mourinho's comment to the media about his countryman have not always been complimentary, but the Portuguese manager is likely to make the £80m forward the 'go-to' man for Madrid. Although the former Chelsea manager is unlikely to grant Ronaldo a license to float around the field and become involved only when the ball is in his area, Mourinho may struggle to turn the winger into an orthodox player in his system but will certainly attempt to help him reach the heights of his 42-goal season at Manchester United.
Kaka
The Brazilian midfielder suffered a stop-start first season in Madrid and will be hoping that a change of coach will mean an alteration in his fortunes in Spain. Kaka could have a role in the Mourinho system of a deep lying playmaker, but the Portuguese manager may be hoping that the Brazilian can provide some of the goal scoring he showed at AC Milan and attempt to play him further forward.
Gonzalo Higuain
One of Madrid's more under-rated players, the Argentine has a fabulous scoring record for his club and has played a major role in their most recent triumphs. Whilst the young forward may be getting some fresh competition in the form of new signings it is likely that Mourinho will stay loyal for Higuain as long as he continues to provide a reasonable return from his appearances as a striker.
Announced by the club this morning, Jose Mourinho will officially become the Real Madrid manager on Monday after the Spanish giants agreed a compensation package with Inter Milan for the Champions League winners services.
Done Deal?
The worst kept secret in football became official when club president Massimo Moratti (Inter Milan) and Florentino Perez (Real Madrid) met in Milan to thrash out the fine details of a deal which would allow Mourinho to end his two year stay in Italy. A club statement from Inter Milan on their website said: "President Massimo Moratti and FC Internazionale thank Jose Mourinho and his coaching staff for the work done in two successful seasons on the domestic and European fronts."
Less than a week after he led his Inter Milan side to the third part of a historic treble, Jose Mourinho will find himself in the hot seat at the richest, and possibly best known football club in the world. His mission is to overhaul the current champions of Spain, Barcelona, a team the Portuguese manager worked for in the early 1990', and who he has since had a checkered relationship with.
Real will be hoping that their new appointment will be able to bring them more success than former manager Manuel Pellegrini who was dismissed earlier this week having failed to win a trophy with Madrid despite spending nearly £200m on new players in the summer of 2009.
Mourinho's New Squad
The former manager of Chelsea and Inter Milan is likely to be given an unlimited transfer kitty to overhaul their Catalan rivals in La Liga, and win the European Champions League for the first time since 2002, but there are some of the club's current players that Mourinho will be hoping to keep at the core of his squad:
Iker Casillas
International and club number one, Casillas has been through several Real 'revolutions' and is likely to play a huge role in their latest. Young, experienced and talented, the Spanish goalkeeper is a connection between the club's youth system and their first team. He is likely to be kept around by Mourinho, not just because he is the best goalkeeper in the world but he also represents the club's fine traditions.
Sergio Ramos
Vice-captain at the club, Ramos has been one of the reasons for Real's improved defensive stability since the end of the 'Galacticos' era. An international class player, Ramos could return to his unfavored position of right back because of the attacking options that he provides going forward. At Inter and Chelsea, the Portuguese manager liked to have options from his full backs and is likely to aim for the same approach to make his new team a more solid unit.
Raul
Nicknamed 'The King' at Real Madrid, Raul has become the symbol which epitomizes the legacy of the Spanish giants, and it is unlikely that the new manager of the club will want to upset supporters and risk the wrath of the heirarchy by disposing of the club captain. In more recent years, Raul has been unable to break into the Spanish squad because the talent available and he may be used more sparingly in the next few months due to his age.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Mourinho's comment to the media about his countryman have not always been complimentary, but the Portuguese manager is likely to make the £80m forward the 'go-to' man for Madrid. Although the former Chelsea manager is unlikely to grant Ronaldo a license to float around the field and become involved only when the ball is in his area, Mourinho may struggle to turn the winger into an orthodox player in his system but will certainly attempt to help him reach the heights of his 42-goal season at Manchester United.
Kaka
The Brazilian midfielder suffered a stop-start first season in Madrid and will be hoping that a change of coach will mean an alteration in his fortunes in Spain. Kaka could have a role in the Mourinho system of a deep lying playmaker, but the Portuguese manager may be hoping that the Brazilian can provide some of the goal scoring he showed at AC Milan and attempt to play him further forward.
Gonzalo Higuain
One of Madrid's more under-rated players, the Argentine has a fabulous scoring record for his club and has played a major role in their most recent triumphs. Whilst the young forward may be getting some fresh competition in the form of new signings it is likely that Mourinho will stay loyal for Higuain as long as he continues to provide a reasonable return from his appearances as a striker.