Benni McCarthy: Why the Football World Should Be Excited About Jose Mourinho Going Back to His Old Self

Harambee Stars coach Benni McCarthy has once again hailed Jose Mourinho as the best manager he ever played under at FC Porto, adding that he is excited to see the Portuguese tactician return to the fiery, fearless version that made him great.

Benni McCarthy's time at FC Porto, under manager Jose Mourinho, was arguably the most successful period of his playing career.

The Harambee Stars coach first joined FC Porto on loan for the second half of the 2001-2002 season, a time which saw Jose Mourinho arrive at the club. Benni McCarthy flourished after signing permanently in the summer of 2003.

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In the triumphant 2003-2004 season, Benni McCarthy was the top scorer in the Portuguese Primeira Liga with 20 goals. More significantly, he played a crucial role in Porto's run to the UEFA Champions League title.

Benni McCarthy has spoken of Jose Mourinho’s immense influence, saying the Portuguese coach changed him significantly.

The former Manchester United coach said that under Jose Mourinho, players always felt understood and valued, describing him as the kind of coach who inspired absolute loyalty.

He explained that Jose Mourinho had a remarkable ability to motivate his squad, pushing them to exceed their limits without hesitation.

According to Benni McCarthy, the trust and belief Jose Mourinho instilled were so strong that footballers would willingly take on even the most demanding challenges for him, fully aware of the risks but confident it would be worth it.

Benni McCarthy added that the modern version of Jose Mourinho would soon be forgotten, saying he believed the coach was returning to his uncompromising old style. He expressed his approval, noting that Jose Mourinho remained, in his view, one of the greatest managers any player could hope to work under.

“Yeah, I think he was he was a player's manager. He was an unbelievable man. I think he could get you to do anything, you know, and as a player, I could run through a glass window for him, knowing that I might get slashed along the way,” Benni McCarthy revealed in an interview on the Added Time Podcast.

“But I would do it if he asked me to because that's just the type of manager he was, you know, he had with his players, and he was ultra sound. I saw an interview or something where he recently said that he's becoming the old Jose again.

“You know, this guy that people know now is going to be forgotten, and he's going back to his old ways. And I thought, good on him because he was, by far, for me, one of the best managers that any player could play for.”

With a Champions League title, a Golden Boot, and a career-shaping relationship forged in Portugal, Benni McCarthy’s admiration for Jose Mourinho is rooted in lived experience.

And as Jose Mourinho hints at returning to the fiery, fearless version of himself, Benni McCarthy does not doubt that the football world could be about to witness the resurgence of the manager he still considers the very best he ever played under.