O'Neill: 'Jose is no Clough'
Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill has dismissed comparisons between Jose Mourinho and Brian Clough – the man he believes is the best manager ever.
O’Neill, whose side’s unbeaten start to the season faces a stiff examination from Mourinho’s double Premiership champions Chelsea this afternoon, is aware the Portuguese coach has been labelled as the new Clough due to his confident and charismatic personality.
But the Northern Irishman claims Mourinho has a long way to go to be mentioned in the same breath as the legendary former Derby and Nottingham Forest boss.
“Jose Mourinho is not Brian Clough yet,” he told the Daily Mirror.
“Cloughie would argue that he was the best ever manager and it would be hard to disagree with him. He won things with unfashionable clubs, which did not have lots of money. That was an incredibly difficult thing to do. Winning the European Cup with Nottingham Forest twice was amazing.
“I would also have to say that Brian Clough was the most charismatic manager that ever lived. He was an exceptional manager and an exceptional man.”
O’Neill insists there is no bad blood between him and Mourinho over the 2003 UEFA Cup final, when Mourinho’s Porto side controversially beat O’Neill’s Celtic.
Today’s clash is the first time the duo have locked horns since O’Neill accused the Portuguese players of “play-acting and unsporting behaviour”.
But he is full of admiration for how Mourinho has used Blues owner Roman Abramovich’s millions to transform Chelsea into English football’s most dominant force.
“When we came across each other three years ago we did not know each other,” he said.
“We were polite and respectful of each other and since then he has done really well. He is obviously a fantastic manager. He has proved himself with Porto and now he is proving himself at Chelsea.”
