Former Porto and Blackburn Rovers forward and Premier League hotshot Benni McCarthy has spoken openly about the difference between Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho and claims the Portuguese is the best manager in the world.
McCarthy is venturing into management himself having gained his UEFA Pro License whilst in charge of South African outfit Cape Town City.
The South African said: “Everybody talks about Pep Guardiola but not everybody can be him.
“That is too advanced for most people. To do what he does, you have to manage Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester City, to have those types of players.
“With the crop of players most coaches have, you can’t be that adventurous and that risky with offensive football at that level.
“I read about it and I love his success and how he is changing the modern game, but to help me in my coaching [at Cape Town City], nah, I stay away from those kinds of tactics.”
On the other hand, Jose Mourinho was a big figure in McCarty’s career as he played in Porto’s Champions League winning side of 2004, the team that brought Jose Mourinho to the attention of the footballing world. On his former boss he said:
“I read a little bit of this, I look at that, but the ultimate, when I need to put things in perspective and I say this is me and what I want to follow, then I go and read anything Mourinho says and does.
“In my opinion, for what he does for me [and my coaching], Mourinho is the best manager in the world. People might call it boring, but when you have an ordinary [Manchester United] team like that, to finish second in the Premier League … you deserve a medal of honour.”
“There has been a change, not necessarily for the better, but as you get older you can’t be how you were when you started coaching. Like when you had that passion and the love for the players and the game,” McCarthy says.
“He had that philosophy where he loved to work with players, to change them and make them into winners. He loved to change their profiles. But the older you get, you can’t stick to that kind of intensity of getting to know every player inside out and knowing how to manage them.”
“How the Man Utd boys play for him is amazing … how he can make comebacks against Chelsea, Newcastle, Bournemouth, Juventus … I see the United boys are playing with that passion that you know Mourinho players play with.
“That is the Mourinho way and the manager I know … nobody gives you a chance but the players on the pitch and the bench know it is not over until the fat lady sings.”