Michael Ballack to play his farewell match on June 5 in Leipzig

At a press conference today former Germany captain Michael Ballack announced that he will play his farewell match at the Red Bull Arena in Leipzig on June 5, 2013.

The match will be played under the title 'Ciao Capitano! Ein Abend mit Weltklasse' meaning 'Bye Captain! An evening of world class'!

Ballack has invited a number of stars with whom he has played in his career along with his ex-coaches with a surprise invitation to Germany coach Joachim Löw, who got rid of Ballack under as many said inaapropriate circumstances while he also invited Germany captain Philipp Lahm.

Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho has already confirmed his participation as have ex-teammates Bastian Schweinsteiger and Andriy Shevchenko.

The former Germany 'Capitano' as he was fondly called, played 98 times for Germany before a horrific injury playing for FC Chelsea by Kevin Pricne Boateng in the English FA Cup final in May 2010 forcefully ended his international career just before the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Ballack who played for Chemnitzer FC, 1.Kaiserslautern, Bayer 04 Leverkusen, FC Bayern Munich, FC Chelsea London before returning to Leverkusen; is best known to have led Germany through a difficult decade without real stars expect him but also as someone who couldn't win an international title finishing runners-up at the 2002 FIFA World Cup and the 2008 European Championships for Germany, besides the 2002 and 2008 UEFA Champions League finals though he won the German Bundesliga and English Premier League titles for his club sides.

Jose Mourinho: No Bundesliga for me

Yesterday the pre-match press conference for the FC Bayern Munich vs Real Madrid match in the UEFA Champions League was held at the Allianz Arena. There were some interesting questions and answers regarding the match for both coaches.

The most interesting answer came when Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho was asked if he would like to coach in the German Bundesliga. Mourinho simply, "I say no." And then showed why he gave such an answer by pointing to his headset which he needed to answer questions from the German colleagues.

"Where I need them (headset for translation), I cannot work," Mourinho then added.

Since leaving FC Porto and his home country Portugal in 2004 Mourinho has worked at Chelsea FC (England), Internazionale Milan (Italy) and now Real Madrid (Spain). It is known that Mourinho prepared himself for his foreign assignments before joining the clubs and the success speaks for him.

Mourinho ended by saying, "I don't speak German. Due to the limitation in my communication it is close to impossible to work here."

A clever Jose Mourinho didn't say impossible, but close to impossible which leaves it open that he could maybe one day coach in the Bundesliga, then he is watching more and more of the German league.

Chelsea's difficult search for a new coach

English Premier League side Chelsea Football Club are once more on the lookout for a long-term manager after 34 year old Portuguese André Villas-Boas was fired a few weeks ago, only eight month's after he had joined the club.

The west London club's Russian owner Roman Abramovich is on the lookout for his eighth manager in as many years. Top of his wish list are Pep Guardiola (FC Barcelona) and Jose Mourinho (Real Madrid) with other coaches like Guus Hiddink (now Anzhi Makhachkala), Juergen Klopp (Borussia Dortmund) and Laurent Blanc (France) have been sounded out, while coaches like Rafael Benitez have shown own interest in the job.

Spaniard Guardiola is currently the most successful club coach with FC Barcelona whom he only joined in 2008 and since then has won everything that a club can win. But news out of Catalunya is that Guardiola is getting tired at Barca and might leave in the summer. If he would take time off or join another side is not known, so Chelsea are trying to find out.

A dream for a lot of Chelsea fans would be the return of the 'Special One' Jose Mourinho, who coached the Blues very successfully from 2004 to 2007. But if the Mourinho would leave Real Madrid for London will have to be seen. Certainly Chelsea has a special place in Mourinho's heart and he has said that his next job after Real Madrid would be in the Premier League. But any return to Stamford Bridge would depend if Mourinho and owner Abramovich can work with each other again.

But there is an option which people aren't consider much at the moment, but maybe one to look at if he continues to be successful. Caretaker manager Roberto Di Matteo has done well since taking over and might be named as full-time manager in the weeks to come if wanted candidates turn down the hot seat.

Mourinho eyes an EPL return

The 'Special One' as Portuguese coach Jose Mourinho likes to be called is eyeing a return to the English Premier League. But the current coach of Spanish giants Real Madrid is not eyeing an imminent return to the EPL, but Mourinho rather wants his next assignment to be with an EPL club. The if and when Mourinho hasn't put a date to it then his contract with Real Madrid runs until summer 2014.

It is an open secret that Jose Mourinho is a big fan of English club football after he coached FC Chelsea there from 2004 to 2007. He won the EPL title twice along with the FA Cup and League Cup before being fired by the west-London club. Something which Chelsea has not overcome as managers have come and gone over the last few years since Mourinho's forced departure.

Surely Mourinho is not an easy character, many do not like him, but he is a man who does everything for success without looking back. Be it as a translator for Bobby Robson at FC Barcelona, then at Union Leiria, FC Porto, FC Chelsea, Inter Milan and now Real Madrid as head coach. He was successful in his work everywhere.

Mourinho has said a few times that he did not want to lose out on the chance to coach at Real Madrid in 2010 after winning the UEFA Champions League with Inter Milan, but his heart lies with England football and there he would like to return one day.

One of the possibilities is that Mourinho replaces Sir Alex Ferguson once he does retire at Manchester United. This is a rumour which has been making rounds for years, while Chelsea could look at him as a possible replacement if his former assistant Andres Villas-Boas fails at the Blues. Though the question of the equation between owner Roman Abramovich and Mourinho could decide any such move.

VIDEO: See the real José Mourinho

Saw this interesting video series from German consumer product maker Braun. In this episode it is about Portuguese coach José Mourinho of Real Madrid. I found the video about 'the Special One' interesting, I hope you all like it!


Here a link to the video

Real don't release Mourinho for Portugal

The Portuguese Football Federation is going through difficult times as their 2012 European Championship qualifying campaign has started off to the worst possible start. First a 4-4 home draw against lowly Cyprus and then a 0-1 defeat at the hands of Norway. The Iberians are under pressure after the first couple of games plus the doping test controversy which forced the team to play these matches with their coach Carlos Queiroz on the terraces. This forced the PFF to react and they fired coach Carlos Queiroz.

The search was on for a new permanent coach, but to buy time the PFF approached Real Madrid asking the Spanish giants to allow their star coach Jose Mourinho to sit on the bench for Portugal's qualifiers against Denmark and Iceland next month. But Real Madrid denied Portugal's wish which resulted in a reaction from their Portuguese coach.

"I don't understand why Real will not let me coach Portugal when I will have almost nothing to do in Madrid. I will have nine days holiday in Madrid while there are international matches," Mourinho said after the San Sebastian match on Saturday. Which did result in Real Madrid making it clear to Mourinho to them it is only about the club.

Today Portugal named Paolo Bento as the new national team coach. And Mourinho's reaction sounded a little different. Mourinho said that Bento had his support especially as three Portuguese internationals in Pepe, Ricardo Carvalho and Cristiano Ronaldo play for him at Real Madrid.

Real Madrid showed their high profile coach his borders as he cannot decide whom he coaches when, the club comes first and he is highly paid to bring success to Madrid. Surely a model like Guus Hiddink at Russia and Chelsea FC a while ago isn't something which Real Madrid would allow. And Mourinho after his initial outburst over the weekend backtracked with his reaction today. Even a Mourinho is human after all..

Mourinho eyes German talent

Real Madrid's biggest signing of the summer so far has been that of Portuguese coach Jose Mourinho. And the "Special One" is looking to strengthen his squad ahead of a tough first season in Spain for him. While before the World Cup the focus seemed to be on English players with the likes of Liverpool's Steven Gerrard and Chelsea's Ashley Cole on top of the wish list, it now seems Mourinho is rather looking at young German talent to bring to the Bernabeu.

The names being linked with Real Madrid are that of midfielders Bastian Schweinsteiger, Sami Khedira and Mesut Özil plus the surprise one of striker Mario Gomez. While in the case of Schweinsteiger it looks a lost cause as Bayern Munich are unlikely to release the 25 year old, who has come through the ranks at the Bavarian giants and has finally made the breakthrough; with Khedira it looks somewhat different. There it seems to be an issue of the transfer fee and modalities between Real Madrid and VfB Stuttgart. Real's first offer was said to be 8 Million Euros, while Stuttgart were willing to sell Khedira for 15 Million Euros. The follow-up offer is said to be higher at 10 Million Euros plus Dutch winger Royston Drenthe. But Stuttgart has denied any talks so far, while Khedira and his agent are said to have been in Madrid this week to have a look at the club and speak to Mourinho about his plans for the young midfielder. Here a transfer looks very much possible and at the end it will be an issue of money and modality.

But Mourinho isn't done with German players in signing Khedira. He also has set his sights on new midfield sensation Mesut Oezil. But Mourinho isn't the only one interested in Oezil. English Premier League giants Chelsea and Arsenal along with rivals FC Barcelona are also showing an interest in the Werder Bremen midfielder, whose contract is set to end in 2011. And Oezil seems to be interested to leave Germany and try his luck elsewhere. So if Bremen want to cash in on Oezil they will have to sell him this summer. But Bremen say they would rather retain Oezil and would try to renew his contract then sell him. But over the years Bremen has not been able to retain top talent who either move on to Bayern Munich or abroad.

The link of Mario Gomez and Real Madrid came as a major surprise to me. But for Mourinho there is a simple logic behind it. Living Real legend Raul is no longer a first eleven player and he would like to try his luck elsewhere. 33 year old Raul is said to have had concrete talks with German Bundesliga side FC Schalke 04, while his former Real Madrid coach Bernd Schuster is interested to bring him to Turkey to play for Besiktas Istanbul. So Mourinho needs a potent replacement and Mario Gomez seems to have caught his eye. And to make it interesting for Gomez's club Bayern Munich Real are willing to offer Rafael van der Vaart as bait. One will have to see if Bayern are interested to sell Gomez, who started off well in Munich but towards the end of the season had no real chance under manager Louis van Gaal.

So far Real Madrid have been rather calm and quite in the transfer market, even though they have already spend 41 Million Euros on Ángel Di María (Benfica Lisbon, 25 Million), Pedro Léon (FC Getafe, 10 Million) and Sergio Canales (Racing Santander, 6 Million). But surely Mourinho will look to add some big names to his squad before the transfer period closes on August 31 and he might until then also offload some player who do not fit into his plans.

The "Special One" has landed

Spanish giants Real Madrid today unveiled their new coach - Jose Mourinho. And many say it is a match made in Heaven, but the "Special One" will have to prove if he can make Real Madrid into the "Real One".

And I doubt if a new era of Galacticos is set to happen as Mourinho's style of play is rather result oriented football a la Inter Milan this season. If the Real faithfuls will accept such football will have to be seen, but then in the end winning matches and titles is what football is mostly about. Isn't it?

The Portuguese has signed a four year contract with the Spanish giants worth 10 Million Euros per annum. Real Madrid and Mourinho's last club Italian giants Internationale Milan had agreed on a compensation package to finalise the deal.

The 47-year-old replaces Chilean Manuel Pellegrini to become Real Madrid's eleventh coach in the past seven years. The clubs management will surely want some continuity in whoever is their coach in the coming years.

The club hopes to launch a new era of success under one of the most successful coaches of our times. But Mourinho has a real task on his hands, coaching at one of the toughest club sides in the world where expectations are higher then anywhere else.
Be it the clubs management or the fans they would expect the club to regain the Spanish league title from FC Barcelona plus in Europe to cross the pre-quarterfinal stage six years and win the UEFA Champions League title after nine long years. And then Mourinho is coming from Inter Milan as a treble winning coach.
So expectations will be sky high...

For Mourinho coming back to Spain makes his career come foul circle. It all started in Barcelona 14 years ago as a translator to Bobby Robson at the Catalan giants, now he joins their biggest rivals. And over this UEFA Champions League season he made himself "persona non grata" in Barcelona by his on field celebration after Inter Milan beat Barca in the semifinals. And then Inter Milan went on to win the Champions League title against Bayern Munich in the final at Real Madrid's Bernabeu Stadium.

One will have to wait and see if Mourinho can create his own ecosystem at Real Madrid like he was able to create at Porto, Chelsea and Inter Milan which allows him to operate his way or if the management gets too involved, which could force him to leave the club early. And also if the management gives the coach the time to build his own team and keep faith in him if the results don't go Real's...


What do you think. Is Mourinho the right coach for Real Madrid?

The Special One vs his Mentor

When Bayern Munich take on Inter Milan tomorrow night at the Bernabeu in the final of the UEFA Champions League it will see two good friends facing each other on the sidelines. Bayern's Louis van Gaal and Inter's Jose Mourinho are long time friends and even ahead of such a big match the duo are texting each other, maybe even talking over the phone. The duo have a lot in common, especially their arrogance but when it comes to football their philosophies differ. Mourinho plays result oriented football, while van Gaal's teams play creative and attacking football. The two have huge respect for each other.

Both coaches can create history as both club have won the domestic double of league and cup. But no Italian or German club has ever won the treble.

Dutchman Louis van Gaal and Portuguese Jose Mourinho know each other very well since the their days together at FC Barcelona. And the "special one" as Mourinho refers to himself will face his mentor, who not only used him as a translator at the Catalan giants, but also helped him develop as a coach before venturing out to become one of the best coaches in world football.

Mourinho's story shows that with determination and talent you can get somewhere in life, but how often does it happen. Besides van Gaal the other big mentor or rather a father figure for Mourinho was the late Sir Bobby Robson. Actually under the Englishman the Portuguese started his career as a translator and coach at top clubs in Portugal before Robson took Mourinho with him to FC Barcelona in 1996. But Robson only stayed a season before moving on and in came Louis van Gaal with a big reputation after having had a very successful spell at Ajax Amsterdam.

The duo worked together for three years and Mourinho was one of the trusted deputies of the Dutch General. Mourinho now was no longer only a translator, but fully part of the FC Barcelona coaching staff taking care of press conferences, training the team and interacting with the players. Van Gaal even entrusted him with the job of coaching Barcelona's 'B' team.

Van Gaal left Barcelona to take on the job of Dutch national coach and it also meant Mourinho moved on. He moved back to Portugal as assistant coach of German Jupp Heynckes at Benfica Lisbon, but the German only lasted a few weeks and Mourinho was suddenly head coach. It didn't last too long due to internal politics at the club, but Mourinho was on his way. He moved on to Uniao de Leiria before getting the chance to coach FC Porto in 2002.

At FC Porto Mourinho would win the Portuguese league title before being surprise winners of the 2004 UEFA Champions League, a 3-0 win against Monaco in the Arena auf Schalke. But on the way Mourinho would beat Manchester United and due to this win the Premier League would now show interest in the coach.

Mourinho joined FC Chelsea in 2004 just after the Champions League win and the south-west London club hoped for a new era under the Portuguese. The club did win six trophies under Mourinho, but club owner Roman Abramovich wanted to win the one catch prize in European football, the UEFA Champions League and here Mourinho just couldn't deliver and had to leave.

After nearly a year out of the job Mourinho joined Inter Milan in the summer of 2008 and has had two very successful years at the club, which could culminate in winning the Champions League tomorrow. And the question is would Mourinho leave San Siro if he wins the title and stay in Madrid to take up one of the most difficult coaching jobs in the world that at Real Madrid.

Only time will tell...