We all know that the Arsenal and Chelsea managers do not get along, or at least they do not when Jose Mourinho is in charge at Stamford Bridge. But despite all the bad blood and comments in the press about each other, Arsene Wenger and Jose Mourinho and Arsene Wenger tried to draw a line under it as they shook hands before the two clubs faced off in the Premier League last weekend.
That uneasy truce has lasted less than a week. Mourinho decided to launch into yet another personal attack on his rival during the Chelsea pre-match press conference yesterday, reports the Daily Mail, when asked about the pressure on managers in the EPL, especially Steve McLaren whose Newcastle side they face this weekend.
The specialist in snide comments said, “In this country, only one manager is not under pressure.
“Every other manager is. I am under pressure, Steve (McClaren) is under pressure, Pellegrini is under pressure, Brendan (Rodgers) too. We cannot be below par. We have to meet the objectives.
“I have sympathy with all of them, because it’s a difficult job. There’s one outside that list, but good for him. I have sympathy for Steve.
“You know. The one who can speak about the referees before the game, after the game, can push people in the technical area, can moan, can cry in the morning in the afternoon, nothing happens.
“He can not achieve, keep his job, still be the king. I say just one.”
Why don´t you say what you think Jose? You know what I think? Mourinho only said that about offering his nad for Wenger to shake before last week´s game because of the situation at Chelsea, with the team playing badly, the whole sorry Eva saga and rumours of players and staff being unhappy with the manager´s behaviour. So I very much doubt that he would be spouting off this week if Mike Dean´s and Costa´s antics had not handed Chelsea the points.
It seems clear that he has no interest in showing Wenger any respect and his actions last weekend were only intended to take pressure off his own shoulders. Should Wenger just ignore the latest slur from his rival, or hit back hard?