Babalola Oluwatomiwa
Social Member
Former Arsenal player Bob Wilson has accused Chelsea manager, Jose Mourinho of being a "bully" playing boring mind games.
Mourinho responded to Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger's claim that managers were playing down their Premier League chances, because they are "afraid to fail" calling the Frenchman "a specialist in failure".
Wilson played 308 times for the Gunners between 1963 and 1974, and after retiring from active football became the club's goalkeeping coach and fronting sports programmes for the BBC and ITV.
"I think at it's best it's disrespectful, at it's worst despicable," Wilson told BBC Radio 5 live. "I find him boring in the extreme."
"I think it's personal," he added. "He is a hugely talented, amazing manager but a self-publicist and it's mainly inaccurate.
"To say West Ham play 19th-Century football, to give [Manchester City boss] Manuel Pellegrini the abuse he has: this is a weekend when we honour a gent - Tom Finney - I don't like bullies."
"It's not the first time he has singled Arsene out," Wilson, 72, told the Sportsweek programme. "A few years ago he called him a voyeur, which is a disgusting claim - albeit thankfully with a belated apology.
"I like people who have within them some humility as well. [Former Liverpool manager] Bill Shankly was in his day, like Jose Mourinho. He took every opportunity to psyche you out. He would get at you, but in a lovely, sort of competitive way."
Mourinho has repeatedly played down his side's title chances, despite their position at the top of the league, likening his club to a "little horse", not yet ready to be title challengers.
Wenger, who last won a trophy with Arsenal in 2005, said that in ruling Chelsea out of the race, Mourinho was setting up a position from which he could not fail.
Mourinho in reply said: "If he is right and I am afraid of failure it is because I didn't fail many times. Eight years without silverware, that's failure."
Arsenal - second in the table - host Liverpool in the FA Cup on Sunday and play Chelsea in the Premier League on 22 March.
Mourinho responded to Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger's claim that managers were playing down their Premier League chances, because they are "afraid to fail" calling the Frenchman "a specialist in failure".
Wilson played 308 times for the Gunners between 1963 and 1974, and after retiring from active football became the club's goalkeeping coach and fronting sports programmes for the BBC and ITV.
"I think at it's best it's disrespectful, at it's worst despicable," Wilson told BBC Radio 5 live. "I find him boring in the extreme."
"I think it's personal," he added. "He is a hugely talented, amazing manager but a self-publicist and it's mainly inaccurate.
"To say West Ham play 19th-Century football, to give [Manchester City boss] Manuel Pellegrini the abuse he has: this is a weekend when we honour a gent - Tom Finney - I don't like bullies."
"It's not the first time he has singled Arsene out," Wilson, 72, told the Sportsweek programme. "A few years ago he called him a voyeur, which is a disgusting claim - albeit thankfully with a belated apology.
"I like people who have within them some humility as well. [Former Liverpool manager] Bill Shankly was in his day, like Jose Mourinho. He took every opportunity to psyche you out. He would get at you, but in a lovely, sort of competitive way."
Mourinho has repeatedly played down his side's title chances, despite their position at the top of the league, likening his club to a "little horse", not yet ready to be title challengers.
Wenger, who last won a trophy with Arsenal in 2005, said that in ruling Chelsea out of the race, Mourinho was setting up a position from which he could not fail.
Mourinho in reply said: "If he is right and I am afraid of failure it is because I didn't fail many times. Eight years without silverware, that's failure."
Arsenal - second in the table - host Liverpool in the FA Cup on Sunday and play Chelsea in the Premier League on 22 March.
Last edited by a moderator: