Bigging up the opposition again!!!!

[A Load of Squit 5,116]

 What will the players think!http://www.pinkun.com/norwich-city/chelsea_chief_jose_mourinho_is_a_big_fan_of_norwich_city_boss_chris_hughton_1_2848926 

[pablofarmer 0]

I saw that and wondered what Chelsea fans think of it.

[BOO 0]

Chelsea fans will be thinking that they will win so probably don''t care what he says, if they go on a losing run then they may start paying a bit more attention.

[Legend Iwan 30]

What will the Swansea players think of Laudrup''s comments about Southampton?

"Southampton have a good team, last year when we went there they were struggling, but they played well.

"Since then they have brought in a new manager, they have some new players and they are building on what was there.

"They have a good squad, have made a good start, and they play good football."

Or Roberto Martinez cooing over Man City?

"From where they were to where they are now has been a step up. We will have to be at our very best to preserve our unbeaten record at the Etihad. Everyone will go into the game feeling they are playing a real title challenger, and that''s changed from a few years back.

"I watched the performances against Cardiff and Villa and if I''m honest, at half-time if you told me they would lose either match I''d never have believed you. I don''t think City played badly in either game. Football can be very harsh and I don''t think the results reflect the start this City side has made. Their results are one thing and the performances are another. They have been very consistent but have conceded goals that are rare, in that you won''t often see them conceded. If they perform that game at Villa Park 10 times, they will win it nine times, believe me."

All managers do it, so why is there such a negative rationale towards Hughton from some supporters here?

[Legend Iwan 30]

And before anyone points it out, I know this was about Jose bigging us up, but the amount of people that get on Hughton''s back about this irks me.

[clarkey1972 0]

I agree

Am sure its to ty and take some pressure of the players and put more pressure on theirs.

In the dressing room i assure you it will be a different story!

Ferguson was the master of it, yet no one ever critised him.

[Salopian 1]

A lot of managers "big up" the opposition, and do it regularly. There must be something deliberate about it, apart from being civil to the opposing manager.

 

Is the idea to fire up your own team by emphasising the challenge ahead? Or is it to try to breed over-confidence in the opponents?  If it''s the latter, then it could backfire. The canaries have lacked confidence until recently, and might have gained some confidence from the opposing camp. Or is there a coded message here, "They have a good team" means ''we have observed, considered and decided how to beat the other team''?

 

The same arguments could apply if you say nothing about the opponents but somehow suggest to your own players that this is the big one, and there may need to be selection changes if...

 

The fact that the comments are being made publicly, and will reach the other club, suggests that the whole objective is to make the opponents over-confident. Challenges to his own players will presumably be in training and in the dressing room.

[Chip20 69]

Frankly I think it''s just a simple case of not wanting to look like a complete tool if the other team actually gives yours a good spanking after you stated how cocsure you are of getting a result. No matter how confident you actually feel within yourself, nobody declares to the world that the oppositions will be a complete walkover. Surprising results happen several times a season to even the best teams. Declaring your confidence of a result before every match would come back and bite you in the arse frequently.

As has been pointed out on other threads, it''s just etiquette. No manager demeans the opposition before a match. It''s media coaching.

[Chip20 69]

That should have read ''cocksure'' obviously.

And it seems slang for one''s bottom isn''t allowed on these pages.

[im spartacus canary 0]

He is in todays sun goals pullout fawning of jose mourinho,  you never saw lambert in awe of an opposition manager [:D]

[Juggy 0]

Jose Mourinho bigging up the opposition?

“They made a great investment this season. They had money to spend, they bought good players, players with a big future,” he said. “The squad is very good. The manager is good, I like the way he coaches and the way he organises his teams. Norwich are not a team to be fighting for survival, they are a team with a completely different perspective. It’s a difficult match for us, especially at home where they are normally very strong.”

[Syteanric 1]

Mourinho out!!!!