Why so serious? Klopp and Ranieri show Jose, Pep and Conte that football's meant to be fun

[davieG]

Sure, the latter trio are incredibly successful coaches – but why don't they ever seem to enjoy themselves? And come to think of it, why doesn't anyone? Alex Hess investigates

 

Public displays of affection are one of the modern world’s gravest atrocities, and a football stadium is one the few places you can generally expect to be free of them – as long as Jurgen Klopp isn't about.

 

Liverpool’s win at Stamford Bridge last Friday was notable for many things, but perhaps what stood out most was Klopp’s astounding warmth towards his players on the final whistle. Rather than the customary managerial congratulation of a high-five on the way down the tunnel, the German shepherded his squad to the travelling fans, treated each one in turn to a fawning on-pitch debrief, and dispensed hugs and hearty backslaps to anyone who entered his radius.

 

image: http://images.cdn.fourfourtwo.com/sites/fourfourtwo.com/files/styles/inline-image/public/klopp_liverpool_0.jpg?itok=JXofePGz

Klopp couldn't hide his delight at beating Chelsea last time out

 

It was a scene of goofy schmaltz that seemed wildly out of place in the world of Premier League football, where managers – if they're paternal at all – tend to be the type of father figure who inspires fear rather than comfort – less Jack Black, more Jack Torrance.

Rare breed

“

Between them, Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho seem to experience a grand range of emotions in their work, but enjoyment is categorically not among them

 

It wasn’t a wholly alien sight, though. A central theme in Leicester’s title win last season was Claudio Ranieri casting himself as the fun-loving dad to his family of misfits and cast-offs, soaking up each win with an air of good-natured amusement that stood in sharp contrast to the standard battle-hardened demeanour of his peers.

 

Nowhere is this demeanour more apparent than among Europe’s elite coaches – a group in which Klopp can be counted, and counted as the sole member who appears to derive any pleasure from his profession.

 

Manchester's current pair of duelling A-listers are each, in their own way, the finest examples here. Between them, Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho seem to experience a grand range of emotions in their work, but enjoyment is categorically not among them.

 

image: http://images.cdn.fourfourtwo.com/sites/fourfourtwo.com/files/styles/inline-image/public/mourinho_guardiola_3.jpg?itok=msbRpzEQ

Lighten up, lads! Mourinho and Guardiola spent most of this month's Manchester derby scowling

 

To watch Guardiola on the touchline – issuing a constant stream of frenzied instructions, manically critiquing each off-the-ball run, forever realigning his back four – is to watch a man being driven mad, striving for control over something he isn’t part of. (This fundamentally futile urge for touchline autonomy could be termed Benitez Syndrome, after a man similarly obsessed with control to the point that he lost sight of the wood from the trees: the Spaniard’s first act after Liverpool’s life-affirming Champions League triumph was to march onto the field and lecture Djibril Cisse on how he could have better sprung Milan’s offside trap.)

Permanent intensity

“

Even when he’s harmlessly chatting tactics, he seems oddly feverish, each sentence spoken as if there’s a bomb under his chair that will explode at any moment

 

During Guardiola’s time in charge of Barcelona – a period which should have been the most joyous four years of any coach in football history – a thick mop of Catalan hair rapidly became a barren surface from whence nothing sprung; at the end of it he needed a year off, sipping lattes in Greenwich Village, to recover. Now, even when he’s harmlessly chatting tactics, he seems oddly feverish, each sentence spoken as if there’s a bomb under his chair that will explode at any moment.

 

Marti Perarnau, Guardiola’s biographer, describes him as “a man in search of perfection, although he recognises it as an impossible goal… often left with a pervading sense of unfinished work.” Guardiola may be a master entertainer, but he’s far from chilled out.

Mourinho, the other side of a frazzled coin, is a man equally removed from the notion of enjoyment. He's amassed success at a quite staggering rate, and yet none of it seems to have been appreciated on its own terms. Each title has instead been a means of proving a point, winning a fight, achieving sporting immortality and keeping that inner fire raging.

 

Think back to the finest moment of Mourinho’s glittering career – Inter’s tactical masterclass at the Nou Camp in 2010 – and his response to it: a mad-eyed dash into the centre-circle, a prolonged and furious salutation to the travelling fans, and then an angry scuffle with some opposition players. Throughout it all, no hint of a smile at any point.

 

Mourinho's old chum Arsene Wenger is tortured by his profession in a slightly different way. "When you don’t win you are responsible for so many unhappy people," he has said. "Sometimes it’s better not to think about it because it could damage your life too much. There is a strange vibration in the street when you lose at home. You feel responsible. But you cannot survive if you only feel that – you’ll kill yourself."

Of Europe’s other supercoaches, Antonio Conte lands midway between Guardiola and Mourinho: a rampaging, gesticulating presence driven by a deadly inner fury (witness his threats to kill his Italy players for the crime of granting Romelu Lukaku a sight of goal during the Euros). Diego Simeone’s impromptu pitch invasion at the end of the 2014 Champions League Final lands him in the same bronca-fuelled bracket.

 

Contrasting styles

“

The bemused detachment of Carlo Ancelotti and Manuel Pellegrini is a pleasing antidote to this Fergie Formula, but they are men able to enjoy themselves despite their job rather than because of it

Not that there’s anything wrong with all this. It makes for an entertaining spectacle, for a start, and – as a certain retired Glaswegian will tell you – seething authoritarianism can be the surest way of hoovering up silverware. Certainly, all of these men will be able to look back on absurdly successful careers. But you do wonder if any will have found the time to actually enjoy themselves en route.

The bemused detachment of Carlo Ancelotti and Manuel Pellegrini is a pleasing antidote to this Fergie Formula, but they are men able to enjoy themselves despite their job rather than because of it, their touchline manner of contented aloofness a far cry from Klopp’s full-blooded involvement.

 

The three do share a crucial trait, though, which is that they recognise football’s fundamental triviality. Ancelotti and Pellegrini knew better than to take seriously the Premier League pantomime; they were fully aware their job was only ever temporary but they also knew coaching a superclub is good work if you can get it. Klopp recognises the pantomime, too, but embraces it for what it is – harmless fun – and encourages his players and fans to derive as much enjoyment from it as they can.

 

image: http://images.cdn.fourfourtwo.com/sites/fourfourtwo.com/files/styles/inline-image/public/ancelotti_6.jpg?itok=jdmeh6vk

The laid-back Ancelotti never takes himself too seriously

 

It’s an outlook that taps into one of football’s most overlooked truths: hardly anyone, at any point in their life, is fortunate enough to live out the fantasies of millions – but footballers do exactly that, twice a week. In that context, the player’s default post-match setting of steely professionalism – “Good three points, now we prepare for the next game” – admirable as it is, seems like one hell of a way to miss the point.

 

New world

“

Much has changed in the ensuing decades, but the sense of elite-level football being an unrelenting treadmill, with everyone locked in a dead-eyed pursuit of the next big prize, has not

Liverpool’s former chief executive Rick Parry tells the story of the club’s trophy-hoarding golden era thusly: “When the players reported back to pre-season training, [Bill Shankly’s right-hand man] Ronnie Moran would greet them in the Melwood dressing room. He would take the league championship medals out of a bag and chuck them to each player without comment or ceremony. Then he would launch into what was needed for the coming season.”

 

All well and good – and, proof being in the pudding, a fine recipe for sustained success – but more than a little joyless, for sure. Much has changed in the ensuing decades, but the sense of elite-level football being an unrelenting treadmill, with everyone locked in a dead-eyed pursuit of the next big prize, has not.

 

image: http://images.cdn.fourfourtwo.com/sites/fourfourtwo.com/files/styles/inline-image/public/shankly.jpg?itok=TZJDzYwo

Shankly shows off his Manager of the Year award in 1973 - and his assistant Moran was never shy in getting his medals out

 

What has changed since the days of Shankly and Fagan is the breathless nature of the sport and the media circus that surrounds it. You can see why Pep & Co., caught in the eye of the storm, might find the whole thing a tad stressful: even from the outside looking in, football in 2016 can seem like a perpetual whirlwind of results, fixtures, fall-outs, transfer windows, press conferences, contract stand-offs, hirings, firings, Things We Learned, handshake controversies and all sorts else. As such, the ability to simply take a breath and soak up a pleasant moment has become a lost art.

 

Crack a smile

In a sense it’s symptomatic of modern life, which has sidelined that art of enjoying the moment in favour of taking a selfie in the moment, sharing the moment online, tagging yourself in the moment, and then arguing over the moment on Twitter, before deleting the moment, posting a passive-aggressive meme and seeking out the next moment for a defiant selfie op.

 

In light of which, watching Klopp using a semi-final win as an opportunity to whip the Anfield crowd into a jubilant frenzy, or seeing Ranieri’s magnificently childlike response to Champions League qualification, is gloriously refreshing. Living in the moment might be a dying art, but those two are doing their damnedest to keep it alive.

 

When Klopp and Ranieri call time on their careers, they’ll be managers with more medals, better pensions, and greater legacies. But there won’t be many – or groups of players, or sets of fans – who’ve had as much fun. And if that means a few public hugs and kisses along the way, then perhaps that's a small price to pay.

Read more at http://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/why-so-serious-klopp-and-ranieri-show-jose-pep-and-conte-footballs-meant-be-fun#pgxMsU24mYWQGSPM.99

[Guest Col city fan]

Been saying for a couple of years now that Mourinho does not seem the same person. 

Literally, the cocky, smiley 'special one' now looks plagued, withdrawn, and serious. 

Just look back at some of the video clips of him a couple or three years back and compare them with now.

The biggest change is his willingness now to publicly condemn his own players.

During his early years at Chelsea he ran a tight and together group. The players apparently pretty much adored him.

It's been a stark change in his whole persona making me wonder if there's an underlying mental health issues going on. Just a thought.

[David Guiza]

Much prefer Klopp and Ranieri to Jose when it comes to their all round persona and approach to life/the game, however it is a little bit of a double edged sword in some respects. We all know how frustrating it was when Holloway was banging on about carrots and potatoes after getting comfortably beaten by Plymouth at home, but we also know how wonderfully refreshing it was to see Ranieri wax lyrical about pizza and sausages and helped the team to keep level heads and the pressure off in what was comfortably the most important time in their entire careers.

 

Football is taken so seriously by many in the modern day though, so it is such a change to see the likes of Klopp and Ranieri change that approach. Sports needs more genuinely interesting and approachable characters.

[Fox92]

Mourinho used to be laid back and funny. 

 

English media seemed to have ruined him.

[Wymsey]

Able to get along with Klopp - full of energy,  humour and understanding.

 

Not sure with Pep - appears quite dull and outspoken.

 

Conte is alright but wouldn't want to get the wrong side of him.

 

Mourinho is quite motionless now, as if he doesn't 'belong' anywhere.

[RastaDog]

I don't get Mourinho. He always was a self-obsessed, miserable git with a tendancy to paranoia and entitlement, but at least he was a decent manager. And I thought those negatives where just a part of the kidology game he had going. But now, he seems a vague figure of the man he was, as if he's ended up believing the game he played with others and now seriously believes he's an unappreciated genius (misunderstood by players and press alike)

 

I think Chelsea did for him.

[ALC Fox]

45 minutes ago, Fox92 said:

Mourinho used to be laid back and funny. 

 

English media seemed to have ruined him.

From what I remember, the English media loved him. Wasn't it Italy and/or Spain where his treatment was significantly less favourable?

 

55 minutes ago, Col city fan said:

During his early years at Chelsea he ran a tight and together group. The players apparently pretty much adored him.

It's been a stark change in his whole persona making me wonder if there's an underlying mental health issues going on. Just a thought.

I was thinking the other day that there could be some mental issues there. He's no longer the up-and-coming young prodigy who commands instant respect. He's had failures like every manager now. The media, fans, and players can question him now. Maybe he questions himself as a result.

[EnglishOxide]

Let's stop dissing Mourinho until after tomorrows match, eh?

 

He can still turn United round once he figures out how to get Rooney out the door.

 

Yes, his demeanour has changed and his methods changed but he has always been mouthy, and publically calling players out is what he has done before and worked by either inspiring the player to perform or asserting his authority over a squad.

 

The biggest hole he has to plug at United are the constant leaks to the press from one or more of his players. This has undermined LvG and Moyes before him too.

[purpleronnie]

31 minutes ago, ALC Fox said:

From what I remember, the English media loved him. Wasn't it Italy and/or Spain where his treatment was significantly less favourable?

 

 

Yep, our press are nowhere near as bad as Spanish or Italy.

[Richard]

José Mourinho: no longer the bright young iconoclast

 

https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2016/sep/22/jose-mourinho-manchester-united-master

[Fox92]

1 hour ago, ALC Fox said:

From what I remember, the English media loved him. Wasn't it Italy and/or Spain where his treatment was significantly less favourable?

 

English media did love him but now it just seems like they criticise everything he does. 

 

Italian media is really bad though, worse than he. Mind you it always seems like they are more passionate over there anyway.

[Trav Le Bleu]

Hard not to like Jurgen or our Claudio.

[crazyleicester]

Interesting article.

 

Ranieri joined a club in us with nothing to lose. He has been all smiley as we were winning last season and his personality came out. However he wasnt so smiley 6 months earlier managing Greece! Also loads of Chelsea players from yesteryear said he was much more serious when he managed them.  It was a free role for him last season as he wasnt going to a club with the pressure of challenging for honours but a club where he "only" had to avoid relegation. Anyone at the helm could have fun galore with what the lads were giving on the pitch. This season, I personally detected that he was feeling the pressure before the Swansea win and looked nervous as not everything is going his way. Now the expectations are higher CR wont be so chirpy as before.

 

As for Klopp his management style is to put his arm around all his players and tell them he loves them so they would walk through walls for him. He told the fans in Dortmund to sing and jeez did they make a spectacle of their home games. However he hasnt found it so easy in England with our mentality and he seems to be trying too hard in this "us against the rest" and i love you all routine and he has been let down quite a lot along the way with the likes of Sturridge, Sakho and Ibe weren't and arent buying it. Him telling his own fans not to sing his name when the game is not one was also a real strange one. He may have this smile of a madman but to me it is looking more forced than he is hoping it would be. He also isnt as entertaining in press conferences as I expected him to be.

 

As for Mourinho, Pep and Conte, we dont have much idea on how they are away from the media. If you look at Pearson with us, he always looked a right misery guts with the press and almost acted like a madman on the touchline laughing at nothing and trying to strangle opposition players. However, if we were to believe what we read the players loved him and he cared for the players and was a great coach and manager to work for. Mourinho has a reputation of being really funny with the lads with his dry sense of humour  Guardiolas players loved him at Barca but he was part of the furniture there and a legend and Im not sure how the players reacted to him at Bayern and Conte, well, I dont know enough about him but he does look a serious passionate dude. Maybe if he spoke the lingo we would get to see his personality more.

 

BTW forget managers who have mostly always been miserable gits, how about the players? They dont seem to be enjoying things as much as they used to and thats why everyone keeps going on about us last season and how they built a bond as brothers. Going back in history thats what most clubs were like. They would socialise together and would be best of mates and had that bond. The players these days are the ones who look like moany loaners with no personality or enjoyment. Even goal celebrations have gone stale with this robots.

[RastaDog]

Mourinho was very complimentary towards CR in his post match interview. Credited him for his half time substitutions and the change in shape. I was rather surprised tbh.

[Fox92]

Just now, RastaDog said:

Mourinho was very complimentary towards CR in his post match interview. Credited him for his half time substitutions and the change in shape. I was rather surprised tbh.

That's a surprise to hear because CR got everything wrong again today. Shocking performance.

[foxy boxing]

football is fun when you are winning matches, it;s easy to be dilly-ding dilly-dong all the time when you are winning but a lot harder when you are losing and going through a bad patch