Andrea Radrizzani has been speaking to Calciomercato about the Premier League managers he admires, aside from Marcelo Bielsa.
The Leeds supremo said: “There is no leader who has particularly inspired me: I have more than one. Concerning the pitch strictly, there are Bielsa and Guardiola, who inspire through their football ideas, but also the leadership of Mourinho or Conte because I like their way of inspiring while always staying focused on their goals.”
It’s interesting to hear Radrizzani praise José Mourinho for his ability to inspire people, as it somewhat contradicts what’s been written in the media.
The Tottenham boss – who called Leeds a ‘difficult‘ side to play against – has apparently left his players stunned following a comment made after their 2-2 draw against Newcastle.
When asked why he’s struggling to made Spurs solid at the back, having overseen formidable backlines elsewhere, he said: “Same coach, different players.”
According to the Independent, some Tottenham players couldn’t believe he said that – neither could we!
It’s a funny way to inspire your players by throwing them under the bus, to say the least.
Nevertheless, Radrizzani can clearly see motivational skills in Mourinho’s locker that the media don’t tend to focus on.
The Italian has made many brilliant judgement calls since arriving at Elland Road, so we’ll trust his opinion on this one!
Who knows? Perhaps one day we’ll see Mourinho roaming the Elland Road dugout once the Bielsa era has come to an end.
So long as Radrizzani is still at the helm, it could well happen – he’s clearly a fan of the iconic £288,461-a-week coach.
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