Thursday, March 28, 2024

Old foes Wenger, Mourinho both winners – Cech

Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Cech has suggested manager Arsene Wenger and his Chelsea counterpart Jose Mourinho are regularly at odds because of similar personalities.

Wenger and Mourinho have experienced a fractious relationship on the touchline in their 15 head-to-head meetings – the Frenchman coming out on top just once at the Community Shield in August.

Mourinho has previously labelled his opposite number a “specialist in failure” and the pair also clashed on the touchline at Stamford Bridge last season.

Cech – who swapped the Premier League champions for Arsenal in June – suggested the pair’s winning mentalities could be a factor behind their feisty relationship.

“It’s more a question for them. But, yes, sometimes two pluses doesn’t make a plus,” he told Sport magazine.

“The similarity is that everybody wants to win. If you ask Jose Mourinho or Arsene Wenger if they want to win everything: yes they do.

“You can see they don’t like losing games and I think this is something you need to have in you if you want to be successful.”

Cech was the only close-season arrival at the Emirates Stadium, with many suggesting Wenger’s lack of recruitment could hinder Arsenal’s title ambitions.

However, the 33-year-old claimed Wenger – and the Frenchman’s plans for the coming seasons -were key factors in his decision to leave Chelsea after 11 trophy-laden years.

“[Wenger] introduced me to the vision the club has for the coming years, to the reason why certain things are the way they are now and how they will be next year and the year after,” he added.

“I really liked the project in the way it matches my ambition and motivations. It’s a difficult decision to go from Chelsea to Arsenal, but I believed it was the right decision because I wanted to be part of the Premier League at a club that matches my ambitions. 

“With Arsenal, that all came together. In football everything changes fast, so you need to have a clear vision and support from people at the club. Obviously the board and everyone at Arsenal believe in the manager – that’s why he’s still here.

“It’s not just for the way you are – it must be for the way you work, too. The public only see the game, they don’t see all the things that are happening behind the scenes. 

“So, sometimes, judging people only on the fraction of the time you see them working can lead to different opinions.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

SoccerNews

Soccernews.com is news blog for soccer with comprehensive coverage of all the major leagues in Europe, as well as MLS in the United States. In addition we offer breaking news for transfers and transfer rumors, ticket sales, betting tips and offers, match previews, and in-depth editorials.

You can follow us on Facebook: Facebook.com/soccernews.com or Twitter: @soccernewsfeed.

SHARE OR COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE

WE RECOMMEND

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This field is required *

Join the conversation!

or Register

Live Scores

advertisement

Betting Guide Advertisement

advertisement

Become a Writer
More More
Top