"Please don't call me arrogant, but I'm European champion and I think I'm a special one” This statement was made by Jose at the press conference that followed his entry into the EPL. That statement made the English media dub him “The Special One”.
Taking a look at the career of Jose Mourinho, it reminds me of my past time activity. I am a successful football manager and I have a lot of laurels to back my claim. I have managed teams like Manchester United, Napoli, and Real Madrid to mention a few. Like Jose, I have cleaned out in every league I find myself winning all laurels available every season. Before you start wondering who I am, my Manchester united (& other teams I have managed) are virtual teams on the computer game EA Sport FIFA manager 2010. Although Jose & I have a lot in common the major and significant difference is that he manages real live teams and unlike me, Jose does not have the luxury of restarting a game if it is not going in his favour. Most recently, he has won all titles available in Italy and also the UEFA Champions League eliminating the finest attacking teams in the world. Even though he has been critisied for playing negative football, he has redefined the role of a coach in football by mixing coaching theory with motivational and psychological techniques. 
Little wonder he was awarded a doctorate honoris causa degree by the Technical University of Lisbon for his accomplishments in football on March 23 2009. But why all the noise about this man, what has he achieved that no other coach hasn’t? What makes him special?
My first encounter with this man “The Special One” was that faithful evening sometimes in April 2004. I was with some die hard Manchester United fans and we were all hoping that the referee will blow his whistle soon and Manchester united will proceed in the competition and the supposedly underdogs Porto FC will find their level. Porto was on the verge of an away goals defeat when Costinha scored an injury time goal to win the tie. One man in a trench coat celebrated to the goal flamboyantly on the touch line. His emotions were palpable. He was evidently the happiest man alive that day. That year FC Porto won the UEFA Champion League, with a 3–0 win over AS Monaco in Germany. FC Porto had eliminated Manchester United, Olympique Lyonnais and Deportivo La Coruña and their sole defeat of the competition came against Real Madrid in the group round. This success trailed a third place finish in his first year as head coach of Porto FC (2002) after a strong 15-game run (W–D–L: 11–2–2); Portuguese Liga (2003, 2004), Cup of Portugal (2003), Portuguese SuperCup (2003) and UEFA Cup in 2003 under the same man. Also notable in his career in Portugal are the records he set. This include his stint with União de Leiria, whom he took to their highest-ever league finish of fifth place, a W-D-L: 27–5–2 record with Porto in 2003, 11 points clear of Benfica, the team he quit two years earlier, a Portuguese record of a total of 86 points out of the possible maximum of 102 since the rule of three points per win was introduced. In 2004 his team secured the title five weeks before the end of the season. His success in Europe and Portugal did not go unnoticed. Mourinho was linked with several top European clubs, including Liverpool, Real Madrid and Chelsea. Mourinho publicly stated his preference for the Liverpool job over the Chelsea one:
"Liverpool are a team that interests everyone and Chelsea does not interest me so much because it is a new project with lots of money invested in it. I think it is a project which, if the club fails to win everything, then [Roman] Abramovich could retire and take the money out of the club. It's an uncertain project. It is interesting for a coach to have the money to hire quality players but you never know if a project like this will bring success."
Liverpool offered their managerial position to Spanish coach Rafael Benítez and Mourinho instead accepted a large offer of a salary of £4.2 million a year, subsequently raised in 2005 to £5.2 million from Roman Abramovich and pledged his immediate future to Chelsea. As is his tradition, his winning ways continued and he began to pick up available laurels by winning the League Cup against Liverpool 3–2 (AET) in Cardiff in the 2004/2005 season. The club under Mourinho added more trophies as they secured their first top-flight domestic title in 50 years, setting a string of English football records in the process. Mourinhos’ Chelsea started the next season well. They defeated Arsenal 2–1 to win the FA Community Shield, and topped the Premier League from the first weekend of the 2005/06 season. Chelsea beat rivals Manchester United 3–0 to win their second consecutive Premiership title and Mourinho's fourth domestic title in a row
The 2006/07 was Mourinho's first season without a league title win in five years. However Mourinho led Chelsea to a 1–0 victory against Manchester United in the 2007 FA Cup Final, winning in the first final to be played at the new Wembley Stadium. This was his first FA Cup win which meant that he had won every domestic trophy available to a Premier League manager (Just like me too on EA SPORT FIFA MANAGER). He also won the League Cup for a second time in the season. Jose Mourinho is not done with setting new records. Mourinhos’ Chelsea beat Birmingham City 3–2 in the first match of the 2007/08 season. He set a new record of 64 consecutive home league matches without defeat, surpassing the record set by Liverpool between 1978 and 1981. Mourinho unexpectedly left Chelsea on 20 September 2007 "by mutual consent," although there had been a series of disagreements with Chairman Roman Abramovich. Mourinho left as the most successful manager in Chelsea's history, having won six trophies for the club in three years. He was also undefeated in all home league games.
Despite a bad ending of his Chelsea era, José Mourinho will always be remembered as the man who made a squad of inexperienced boys become champions. "I had three fantastic seasons here. The fans gave me love and support - I gave them trophies. I will never forget Chelsea nor their supporters. I love the English football culture and I will return to this country one day, for sure." I hope he comes to united.
Although He started his career as a footballer, he was quick to admit the fact that he lacked the skill and pace to make him the best of the best. He did not allow is set back or back ground keep his back on the ground and decided to go into coaching against his mothers will. This turned out to be a wise choice. I'm sure he would not have made the top 5 list in his prime as a footballer, but as a manager, he has the following personal awards in his kitty just under a decade as 1st team manager.
UEFA Manager of the Year (1): 2003
UEFA Champions League Manager of the Year (2): 2002–03, 2003–04
UEFA Team of the Year Coach of the Year (3): 2003, 2004, 2005
Onze d'Or European Coach (1): 2005
IFFHS World Manager of the Year (2): 2004, 2005
World Soccer Magazine Coach of the Year (2): 2004, 2005
BBC Sports Personality of Year Coach Award (1): 2005
Premier League Manager of the Year (2): 2004–05, 2005–06
Premier League Manager of the Month (3): November 2004, January 2005, March 2007
Serie A Manager of the Year (1): 2009
He leant a lot under great football coaches like Sir Bobby Robson of blessed memory and Louis van Gaal who just lost the chance of becoming a treble winning coach and also a 2nd UEFA Champion League title to Jose Mourinho. Also notable in Jose’s record creating career is that he has an outstanding record of making a fortress of his home ground. As of May 9 2010, after the 37th round of 2009–10 Serie A, Mourinho is on a run of 136 home league matches unbeaten: 38 (W36-D2) with Porto, 60 (W46-D14) with Chelsea, 38 (W29-D9) with Internazionale. His last and only home league defeat came when Porto were defeated 3–2 by Beira-Mar on 23 February 2002 as at the 6th of April 2010, he became the first manager in history to take three different teams to the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League (this record was equaled by Bayern Munich manager Louis van Gaal a day later) after his Internazionale managed to overcome CSKA Moscow 0–1 in Russia in the second leg of their quarter-final tie, which ended 2–0 on aggregate. Wesley Sneijder's goal in the sixth minute proved the difference in a match played in laid-back style. This marked the first time in seven years that Internazionale managed to make it to the semi-finals of the competition. On April 13th, Internazionale continued its good season, having managed to qualify for the Coppa Italia final, for the first time under Mourinho, by beating Fiorentina 1–0 away (2–0 on aggregate). On April 28th 2010, José Mourinho reached the UEFA Champions League Final for the second time in his career after Internazionale beat current holders Barcelona 3-2 on aggregate, after losing 1-0 on the night (which Mourinho called "the most beautiful defeat of my life") and brought Internazionale back into a UEFA Champions League Final 38 years after their last, where they were defeated by AFC Ajax. The final was at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, Madrid against Bayern Munich on May 22. On May 2, after a 2-0 away win at Rome against Lazio, Inter almost secured the Serie A title. On May 5, the team won the Coppa Italia, defeating AS Roma 1-0 and on the 16th May Inter beat Siena 1-0 to secure the domestic double. On May 22, 2010, Inter won the UEFA Champions League beating Bayern Munich 2-0, and in doing so Inter became the first Italian club to complete The Treble and Mourinho personally celebrated the second "treble win" in his managerial career and second Champions League win. What’s next for him which other league is there to conquer? Real Madrid seems to be the next big project and the Spanish league is the next big league to conquer. This man has been talking and calling teams he would like to coach. His first choice was Manchester United (if baba fergie retires) and recently Real Madrid. Is this guy not too arrogant? I don’t think so. He has a history of turning every team he touches to winners and presently he is the Serie A, Coppa Italia, and UEFA Champions League winner. He truly is the special one! Congratulations José Mário dos Santos Félix Mourinho! His Royal Specialness!!
