The Universe
|
Friday 12th August, 2016
09
News
Chaplain’s yellow card for Mourinho
Nick Benson
The Chaplain for Sport has warned Jose
Mourinho that a continuation of the disrespectful behaviour he displayed last
year could see a repeat of last season’s
destructive performance.
Mgr Vladimir Felzmann’s advice came
after Dejan Stefanovic, a Slovenian member of world players' union FifPro, said
the new Manchester United boss should
be jailed for “bullying” Bastian
Schweinsteiger.
The 32-year-old German midfielder
signed a three-year deal with the Reds
for a fee of nine million euros (£6.5 million) in 2015 and became United’s first
German player to be fielded in the first
team.
However, despite playing 31 games last
season, Schweinsteiger, who, like Mourniho, is a Catholic, has been training alone
and with the Under-23s since the Portuguese manager, who once described
himself as “The Special One”, took over
at Old Trafford.
“It's clear bullying,” Mr Stefanovic, who
is also a lawyer and president of the
Slovenian Footballers and Sportsmen
Union, told the BBC. “In Slovenia, we
would have indicted Mourinho and asked
for the highest penalty - three years in
prison.”
Mgr Felzmann, who is CEO for the
John Paul II Foundation for Sport, agreed
that “Mourinho is a bully”.
“The evidence is there that he is indeed
bullying Bastian Schweinsteiger,” Mgr
Felzmann told The Universe.
However, the Chaplain for Sport pondered the reason for this, and whether
there were underlying issues between
the two, or if Mourinho was following in
the footsteps of Manchester United’s most
successful manager, Alex Ferguson, who
famously took a hardline approach with
some players, often giving them the
‘hairdryer’ treatment.
“The question is: ‘why?’,” Mgr Felzmann
asked. “Is the manager trying to impose
discipline with his own brand of ‘hairdryer’
techniques? Have they had ‘issues’ in the
past? Has Bastian made remarks that
Bastian Schweinsteiger during his time at Bayern Munich shouts as Jose Mourinho, then Real Madrid head coach, walks by
have upset Jose?”
He explained that without hearing from
both sides, it is unwise to make a judgement on the goings on. However, he did
warn the former Chelsea boss that a repeat of his previous mistakes might risk
a repeat of last season’s disastrous spell,
which resulted in his departure from
Stamford Bridge.
“If Man U players think Mourinho has
behaved, or is behaving, badly they are
unlikely to put their heart into their
team,” he said. “Without a deep sense of
‘all for one; one for all’ marinating their
hearts, their commitment, and thus performance, might well turn out to be
akin to Chelsea’s after his spat with the
doctor.” Mourinho faced much criticism
following his treatment of Eva Carneiro,
when she offered stoppage time treatment
to Eden Hazard during Chelsea’s opening
game of last season, a 2-2 draw against
Swansea.
Mourinho, who was Chelsea boss at
the time, branded the then-Chelsea team
doctor as “naïve” and claimed she did
not understand the game of football.
Mourinho’s current treatment of Schwe-
insteiger seems to be wielding the same
controversy with Mr Stefanovic advising
the former German international to take
action against his boss.
“Mourinho is setting a bad example. I
would take it to the ordinary court. In
our case, the penal code is quite clear. If
there is bullying and harassment, there's
a prison sanction, a maximum of three
years in prison,” he explained.
“Schweinsteiger should turn to the
Professional Footballers' Association and
he should file a complaint and I would
also seek punishment for Mourinho.”
Record
number go
to Rio from
St Mary’s
St Mary’s University, Twickenham, has
seen a record number of students, alumni
and athletes selected for the Rio 2016
Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The university has a proud history of
sporting success and is home to the Endurance Performance and Coaching Centre (EPACC), which counts Mo Farah
amongst its alumni.
This year St Mary’s will see 22 athletes
attend both the Olympic and Paralympic
Games, topping the record 18 selected
for London 2012, where the university
ranked sixth, and first in London, in Podium’s league table for universities.
Athletes selected for Rio 2016 from St
Mary’s will contest a variety of sports,
including Track and Field, Rowing, Boxing,
Fencing, Cycling and Rugby 7s.
Amongst the stars attending the games
are 5000m and 10000m runner Mo Farah,
1500m runner Charlie Grice, 5000m runner Steph Twell, rower Moe Sbihi, lightheavyweight boxer Joshua Buatsi, and
T33 wheelchair racer and four time European record holder Toby Gold.
“Congratulations to all of our students,
athletes and alumni competing at the
Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games,”
said Francis Campbell, vice-chancellor
of St Mary’s.
“We are proud to be a home to so
many exceptionally talented people. I
am sure their performances in the coming
weeks will be a source of inspiration for
our students in the years to come.”
Director of Sport at St Mary’s Andrew
Reid-Smith added, “For all of the athletes
being selected to represent their country
at an Olympic or Paralympic Games will
be very special.
“This reflects not only their talent but
also years of dedication and hard work.
Competing in the Games will change
their lives for ever, we wish them every
success.”