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| Tuesday, 21 September 2010 06:45 |
Mourinho celebrates 10 years in management: “I’ll be like Ferguson at 70”Portuguese looking for stability from Real side Jose Mourinho is preparing his Real Madrid side for Tuesday night’s visit of Espanyol in La Liga, as he celebrates ten years as a senior coach in football.
The Portuguese took his first steps as a number one in September 2000 at Benfica when he was promoted from the role of assistant manager to replace outgoing coach Jupp Heynckes. Although his spell in Lisbon was short-lived, subsequent spells with Leiria, FC Porto, Chelsea, Internazionale and now Real Madrid have seen the 47-year-old rise to the very top of the game. "The last ten years have passed very quickly. I am just as passionate now as I was when I started, and I don’t think anything will change over the next ten,” Mourinho. “I think I will be like (Alex) Ferguson. I will be 70 years old and still be as passionate about coaching as I am now. "From a prestige standpoint, becoming coach of Real Madrid is like reaching the moon. It is the most important club in the world. It means I’ve made it to the pinnacle, but I haven’t won anything yet. We will see if we make history, but it’s still history that has to be made." Ahead of the match with Espanyol, the Real Madrid boss insists achieving stability within the team’s structure is the most pressing aim. "A team that is already built is one thing. Another is one that is in development. Once it is complete is when you can change five or six players around without affecting the dynamic. "The goal is to make this team as stable and consistent as possible. Development and stability are much more important than the dynamics or the intensity that I can provide, which is why I don’t think I am ready to make any major changes to the team’s structure." "Espanyol is a talented team that knows how to play good football. They will come here to win, just like every team does. We aren’t top in the table, but we’re right there. We have a lot of teams under us and few over us. We need to continue winning and maintaining stability." Pepe praises CarvalhoMeanwhile, Portuguese defender Pepe says he is benefiting from playing alongside Ricardo Carvalho in the heart of the Real Madrid defence. The former FC Porto stopper also stressed the importance of Mourinho’s intensity and expectations of his players."I feel great playing alongside Ricardo Carvalho, just as I do with Albiol and Garay,” he said. “Ricardo and I had played together for Portugal. Knowing one another makes it easier. He is a great player. He is very experienced and he will contribute a lot to Real Madrid. "Mourinho is a hard worker. He demands a lot of his players because of our talent and where we are. He wants us to always put forth our best effort. He is always on top of us so that we do not make mistakes, or to at least minimize them. "This will be an exciting match. Espanyol want to perform well and we must be ready to respond. Winning is important so that we stay on track in La Liga. We will win if we stay as focused and determined as in previous matches." Keep up to date with all the latest news on Portuguese football with the PortuGOAL Twitter!
Comments (1)
Carvalho and Pepe
1
Tuesday, 21 September 2010 17:52
Mikey/Toronto
A lot more has to be made of these two. Arguably the best centre back partnership in the world. They really compliment each other nicely.
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