Ex-Real Madrid assistant boss Aitor Karanka has defended Jose Mourinho’s decision to drop Iker Casillas for the final six months of his reign as manager.
Mourinho signed Diego Lopez in January 2013 and immediately dropped club captain Casillas. The decision prompted much debate in the press and among fans and was thought to have been one of the factors that split the dressing room towards the end of the Portuguese manager’s reign at the club.
But in quotes published by Marca, Karanka, now manager of Championship side Middlesbrough, said the decision was the right one, and something even Casillas admits was correct.
“Time always gives you more reasons. Mourinho was attacked and four months later they got another Coach and Ancelotti decided Diego Lopez would continue as the starter,” he stated.
And he continued: “A few weeks ago Casillas himself stated that Mourinho talked to him every day. He took Iker out of the team for the good of the team. He wasn’t fit and wasn’t at his best. Ancelotti proved us right.
“Mourinho was attacked from the moment he arrived but the Madrid fans appreciated his success. We missed the Champions League, which was a shame, but if anyone ended Barcelona’s supremacy, it was Mourinho. If it wasn’t for him, there would have been a repeat of Barca’s six titles.”
That is absolutely true, no coach in the world could face guadiola at the time, only one man could stop him and that man was mourihno, he did it with Chelsea, inter and Madrid, and forced pep to quit, let’s give the man flowers he deserves.
No big time coach would have accepted Madrid job without tarnishing his coaching credentials at the time. Barca was on fire at the time and the only coach that could face them at the time was Mourinho….and that is part of the reason I respect him so much.
Absolutely agree with you Jd and Ade. Jose gave the key to unlock Barca’s Tiki Taka of Guardiola (Strong Defending and pacy counteracts) when at the time Barca was unplayable.
Prop to Carlo Anceloti for beating Barca ( Been a Real Madrid since the time of Hugo Sanchez) but Enrique’s Barca is not even close to Pep’s Barca.
The reason why Mourinho wanted Real to be a little more aggressive was that the great Madrid after Zidane and Ronaldo (Brazilian Great) has completely lost their personnality. RM was a bunch of Sissi’s when Mourinho took over. This explained the 5-0 drubbing when Mourinho started with RM. This type of drubbing never occurred again under mourinho.
Carlo (great coach) has taken a team that has recovered its personality and is building on it. Hala Madrid.
But Aitor is correct. Mourino chased Pep out of Spain and ended Barca’s invincibility. Madrid fans as we are glad about the Decima and looking forward to getting another Liga and possibly another UEFA Champions title, let’s give Mourinho his due. The man is a genius.