Tottenham Hotspur manager Jose Mourinho is not a fan of managers having “disciples” in football.
The ‘Special One’ insists that every coach should be encouraged to chart their own path in the game.
makes their own way in the game.
Mourinho’s Tottenham host in-form Leeds United on Saturday, with the Whites’ boss Marcelo Bielsa having gained plenty of plaudits for his side’s play this season.
After managing promotion from the Championship at the second attempt, Bielsa has guided Leeds to 11th place after 16 games.
Leeds have scored 30 goals this season, ranking behind only Liverpool, United and Chelsea, but they have also conceded the same amount – only West Brom have let in more.
After a 6-2 thrashing at Manchester United led to some pundits suggesting Bielsa’s all-out attack tactics needed to be altered, Leeds have won their last two fixtures, grinding out a 1-0 home win against Burnley before dispatching a dismal West Brom 5-0 on the road.Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola and former Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino are known admirers of Bielsa, who counts the Argentina, Chile, Athletic Bilbao, Marseille and Lille jobs on his CV.
Asked if he was a fan of Bielsa, Mourinho claimed he does not know the Leeds manager well enough to judge, but dismissed the suggestion a coach should have “disciples”.
“I’m only a disciple of my father. I don’t like that situation in football,” he told a news conference.
“Even younger coaches or people who have worked with me in football. I don’t like that they are “disciples” of Jose.
“Every coach is an individual with his own ideas. They can be influenced by one or another but they are an individual.
“I don’t know [Bielsa] well. I think he was Athletic Bilbao coach in one of the seasons when I was at Real Madrid. Now is the first time we are in the Premier League at the same time.
“For sure he has to be a very good coach, but I’m not the person to analyse him because I don’t know him. I’ve shook hands a couple of times, that’s it.”
