As Casillas might seem to be implying on his instagram, this has been going on for years. It started with Mourinho's opinion about Barcelona (they are the enemy because they hate the club, whereas Iker thought that they are our friends because he has a good relationship with the players), then it progressed to where Mourinho has apparently been critical of Casillas' work (Marca reports that he wanted a backup keeper to challenge and motivate Iker, much like when we signed Dudek). I don't think it's easy to claim who's right and who's wrong here. I do recall that Iker actually did make some progress when we signed Dudek, so there might be a point to that. How not? He faced the same backlash of rumoured information leaking, and was regularly playing despite being totally off form in some cases. Coaches like Capello knew of his influence in the club though and played along, where Mourinho tries to go against it and not play along. The club also values the veteran players higher than the coach, Pellegrini was totally humiliated by Guti, and even though Pellegrini tried to freeze Guti out the picture, he buckled under pressure after just weeks and put him back on. In this case, the club is raising their arms up and seem to be telling them to figure it out themselves.
I think this idea that Mou goes against this idea of not giving players playing time due to their status at the Club is a bit of a half-truth. I think that was the idea when he signed that he would bring a no-nonsense, disciplined man-management approach that was devoid of favoritism and outside influence but I think we're honest that hasn't been the case has it? In that regard he hasn't been much different than a Capello or Pellegrini but if it helps folks sleep better at night to think that then that's fine. Also I think the dick measuring contest going on between him and Casillas is a symptom of a bigger issue and not the cause of the current unrest. To be fair, I think the players bear a fair share of responsibility as far as guilt and blame go and their pettiness and hypocrisy should be scrutinized as well but at the end of the day it's easier to replace the coach than a player clear-out and as such I think barring some sort of miraculous finish (and I don't discount such a possibility) to the season Mou will be off on his "new adventure" this summer. I think Mou underestimated just how different a proposition managing a Club like Real Madrid is and even now he still doesn't have the respect or understanding of the Club and its workings he claims. He's worked hard to push back against certain ideals and structures here, sometimes rightfully so to be fair, that he's lost the plot and the dressing room in the process.
Mourinho is the third strongest man in the club when it comes to football according to the organization chart. It's hilarious that his authority is questioned by somebody who isn't even on the damn chart (a player). It's not about "how Real Madrid works", it's about how it doesn't work. The only way that it would work that way is if we have a team of players that the "establishment" likes, and anybody who isn't liked by it, is sorted out quickly. Then you need a coach from this establishment to be nice to them. If Mourinho has to enter a "power struggle" with a player, despite being just a man short of being the president, you can see how much goes wrong in this club. The press claims Casillas is "the victim", but how can Mourinho bench Casillas if he would have nothing against him? Seriously. Either the man is going crazy, or nobody is being critical of what lead us to this moment.
The team looks awful 1. No attack other than Ronaldo/Ozil/Benzema yesterday. Three players. All of whom shot at goal as soon as they got the ball -- apparently firmly convinced that the team was going to instantly lose the ball. 2. The most bumbling defense of all time. Which takes about 6 players -- 4 defenders, Alonzo and Khedira. They're slap-happy as they kick the ball any which way. Lately there isn't any player they can win the ball from, or any attack that they can stop.. 3. I must be missing a player, so there's at least one player who spends his day standing around. I watched a little bit of Barcelona yesterday. They had 2 maybe 3 players defending & the rest of the team playing with the ball in attack. The other team didn't get even close to the goal. The attackers didn't have to worry about scoring 4 goals to win the game because they knew the defense wasn't going to give up anything. They want to win this year.
No, really he was. Raul was playing some of the worst football in his career at one point and yet he was still first name on the team sheet. This will go on season after season anyway until we find or boot out the players who dont bitch to the press after every little thing. Same shit, different year. Comical.
LMAO at Mou "having" to enter a power struggle with a player, he doesn't have to do anything he chose that whack juice attempt to send a message and it failed....big time. Just like he chose not to enter a power struggle with Ronaldo after his, "I am sad" bullish*t or his continued refusal to acknowledge his poor form with a benching or the very least a substitution. Our biggest issue on the pitch lies with our attack. So to address our attacking impotence you bench your starting GK? Genuis! For all of 49 minutes at least.... Again trying to present this Mou v. Iker thing as anything but a symptom of a bigger problem is meaningless. If the man wasn't so arbitrary and hypocritical of his application of discipline, approach, etc. it would be another story altogether. I don't think Iker is necessarily a victim but Mou isn't either is he?
Maybe Iker is part of the reason why Ronaldo was disappointed with the club? After all, Iker admitted that he doesn't speak to Ronaldo at all in private, and that he speaks mostly with the "Spaniards which include Marcelo, Di Maria and Higuain that are always around, and Özil who is Sergio's big friend." "Pepe, Ronaldo and Coentrao are always together, even when they go on vacation". This interview sort of went under in the midst of anecdotes about Benzema's underwear selection, but it had a lot of fine details between the lines about how the locker room is "working". We should get Magath. 4 hours marathons at 7 in the morning for everyone.
When was that? What you're saying is pure BS. Raul was a leader, who never put his name in front of the team, like we're seeing now (Iker, Ramos). If he had a rough patch, he would grind it out and leave his heart on the field. He would pull the rest of the team to do the same. Now we're looking at 15 monkeys, including Mou, making a fool of themselves. I don't see players, excluding Ronaldo, bitching about anything. On the other hand you do have Mourinho, pointing fingers right and left at every result that doesn't suit Real Madrid. It's time to man up and take responsibility for you own mistakes (fielding Xabi, Di Maria, pairing up Ramos-Pepe at the back, benching Casillas).
I don't know Ronaldo never seemed to have a problem with the kind of players he interacted with in Manchester. He seemed o get along with players from different Countries just fine. Ofcourse at United he is treated like some one special which inflated his ego but probably not in Madrid. Portuguese probably keep to themselves for whatever reason though. i don't think he was like that when he came to Madrid in the beginning though.
I don't care where he sits on the org chart, he is not above questioning. Mourinho has systematically removed anyone who dared question him.... sorry, anyone who dared not agree with him. This season he has systemically gone at player after player in very public ways (all the time assuming the fans he's insulted along the way would buy his explanation). Maybe this isn't about questioning his authority, maybe it's about his method or style. I've said it a million times before: I hate the club that we've become by taking on his personality. Assuming - and all we are doing is assuming at this point - a player like Casillas has a problem with something like that as well, I can't say I blame him. One thing looks clear to me: he has lost the entire locker room... not just three black sheep.
Tied for second in fewest goals allowed - even after giving up three yesterday. Our finishing has been horrific compared to last year. Horrific. I think we've given up 1 more goal than at this point last year, while scoring 20 less.
Really, because looking back at the past two and a half years, that statement would make a lot more sense if it was: "The only way that it would work that way is if we have a team of players that Mourinho likes, and anybody who isn't liked by Mourinho, is sorted out quickly." Everything with him is a power struggle. He puts his addiction for power ahead of the team. This is the second time since he's been here that we've lost points because he wanted to "prove a point". Did we all forget the game he decided to play with no striker up front a couple of years ago with Benzema sitting on the bench so he can prove that "he needs a 3rd striker"?
He has been very public with criticism of players (when legend has it that he would never do that)... he is playing midfielders on defense, while sitting defenders on the bench... he categorically dismissed our cantera... he publicly stated he is alone, with no support from the club (and the day Uncle Flo publicly endorses him, he decides to go Soprano on a reporter from Marca)... he says he can't figure this out because he isn't used to losing... he publicly says 'we are done in La Liga' as his players continue to say 'we won't give up' ... I am not saying this situation is completely on him. I've said many times that I would much rather he adjust how he works instead of us having to fire him. I just don't see that kind of humility from him. What's his longest tenure been at one club?
The players loved playing for this one dude that was here for several seasons, they even confronted Uncle Flo when he was fired. Since then it has been band-aid after band-aid. This appeared to be a solid bet for a long term relationship, but I think this coach was most honest when he said in a recent interview that "he looks forward to new adventures and taking on new challenges" (something like that).
I wonder if the next manager should be a Spanish one? Might workout best for us....just hope not Benitez lol
Well, he's the coach, after all, what sense would it make to tell the coach "Here are a few players that don't want to play for you, win everything, now." Schuster said it best that when Real Madrid works ahead of the coach, they can only sign a Pellegrini or a Schuster. No coach with a reputation is going to come to a team that somebody else makes up for him. In case we forgot. He's the boss. The coach is not an idiot that sits on the bench and shakes hands before and after the match while Valdano buys and sells whoever he wants. Even Pellegrini complained about the squad not being the one he wanted, after he was fired of course. Emery is free.
There is only a limited selection of managers who are Spanish that could take on this locker room. Which Spanish manager would you say could handle this lot?
Nobody. The next solution is to hand the veterans the keys and let them have a coach that will "understand them".
Haha good joke! One of the most annoying sideline managers I've ever seen, always having a heart attack.