Roger Alton Roger Alton

Football’s new Special One

Football’s new Special One — and how the old Special One has completely lost the plot

Jurgen or José: compare and contrast (and please write on as many sides of the paper as possible). Is there any more charismatic man in Britain right now than Jurgen Klopp? A real Special One and currently sitting on top of the Premier League. He gives good interview, loves his players, loves the fans (they love him back) and is gracious and cheerful in victory as well as the occasional defeat. He is building a Liverpool side that’s playing with buzz, flair and an exuberant joyfulness; a brilliant coach but one for whom football is still clearly a game. When I stood on the Kop in the early 1970s we watched a godlike set of players: Clemence, Lawler, Smith, Hughes, Heighway, Keegan, Toshack and on and on… the best team I have ever seen. But this current side play with such verve and fearlessness, they are almost there. And (whisper this) they may be more attractive to watch.

As Klopp said the other day: ‘We are Liverpool — we have to play in a certain way.’ That’s a man who gets it.

Meanwhile in Manchester, and seemingly in need of medical attention, is José Mourinho. Once as magnetic as Klopp, he now seems to have lost it entirely up in his eyrie in the Lowry hotel. Last season at Chelsea he picked feuds with anybody from his team doctor to most of his players. Eden Hazard, one of the best players in the Premier League, was a disaster under José. Now he’s showing what a magnificent footballer he really is.

Once maybe, years ago, players went along with José’s claim to be the special one and played their socks off for him. Now perhaps they see him as a bit of a jerk and are playing like jerks themselves.

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