Jose Mourinho Can Emulate Sir Alex Ferguson but Roman Abramovich Must Keep Faith
Jorge Mendes is evidently a man who doesn't mind putting his money where his mouth is when it comes to his clients.
The Portuguese super agent has been busy promoting the "god-like" qualities of Jose Mourinho this week—one of football's many high-profile figures he represents.
"It's completely impossible to find someone like Sir Alex Ferguson because he's a god, he's a genius and to find a genius is very difficult," Mendes told BBC Sport, discussing the qualities the former Manchester United manager brought to the game.
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"You have [a genius] in England—Jose Mourinho."
A genius, maybe. But a god? Not quite, Jorge.
At Stamford Bridge, there's only one man who can claim that status: Roman Abramovich. He's the figure who makes the decisions that matter in west London; he's the man who decides Mourinho's destiny.
"[Mourinho] will be the Sir Alex Ferguson of Chelsea Football Club," Mendes added. "He loves the supporters, he loves the city and I think he will stay there for more than 10 years."
For Mourinho to do any of that—to see out a decade or replicate the legacy Ferguson has left at Old Trafford—it's going to take a lot more than his ability to craft a team on the training pitch.
There's a valuable commodity required that isn't often available in west London: patience.
Abramovich has ploughed his way through enough managers in his almost 12 years at Chelsea that we can just about count them on two hands.
For Mourinho to emulate Ferguson, that's going to need to change.
Indeed, Mourinho has fallen foul of Abramovich getting itchy feet in the past.
Chelsea were threatening to dominate English football when Mourinho received the chop in 2007.
Back then it was about politics, the owner unhappy with Mourinho's conduct and his approach.
Chelsea were under the spotlight like never before with Mourinho in charge, and when it seemed the results weren't forthcoming, off came the manager's head.
Manchester United had wrestled the Premier League trophy back from Mourinho in 2006/07. Despite an FA Cup win against the same club and lifting the League Cup also that year, Chelsea's campaign was seen as a failure.
The league was gone and progress in the Champions League had regressed.
Mourinho saw it otherwise, making a point of standing in Wembley's Royal Box holding up six fingers to remind the masses of the trophies he had won at Chelsea in his three seasons.
Abramovich wanted more, though. He wanted success to arrive in style and he got caught up in it all. So much so he went through a further seven managers—either full-time or interim—before realising his mistake and re-employing Mourinho in 2013.
The difference between gods and geniuses.
Will it happen again?
We can only speculate, but it's not beyond the realms of possibility.
While Chelsea are five points clear of the chasing pack in the Premier League, Mourinho has enough credit to partake in a self-imposed media blackout.
We haven't heard from the Chelsea boss in more than a week since he was handed a £25,000 fine by the FA, followed by Diego Costa being banned for three matches after his apparent stamp on Emre Can.
Abramovich is a lover of the finer things in life. He likes his art expensive, his footballers even more so, but he likes to be appreciated all the same.
The Chelsea owner doesn't want to see his team creating negative headlines. He doesn't want Chelsea to return to the dark days of when UEFA officials were labelling them "enemies of football."
Abramovich's affection for Barcelona's success under Pep Guardiola was rooted in how the club was admired for their all-round approach to the game. They received high praise from all corners of the globe.
And when you've spent close to £1 billion at a football club, you want the same. Reputation matters.
The Russian is peacocking at Chelsea.
Silverware plays a crucial part in earning adoration, but the style in which that success is gained carries equal weight.
Mourinho is a divisive character, though. Like Ferguson before him, he thrives on unsettling his opponents, causing a storm in the process.
Ferguson was a man who rarely shied from a battle in the media or on the touchline. He was a Highland terrier who came with a considerable bark.
Successive owners at Manchester United allowed that bark to be amplified. The board stood by their man and backed him to the hilt.
Everything at Old Trafford revolved around Fergie—it's why his reign was so successful. It was Ferguson first, everything else second, regardless of which superstar was throwing a tantrum.
Right now, it's a similar environment at Chelsea. The manager comes with the reputation and authority to ensure those around him fall in line.
In some ways it's an ideal fresh from Niccolo Machiavelli's The Prince. Mourinho is loved through fear—it's a fear from his players at not being selected; fear from the fans at not witnessing the team lift more trophies.
That's what underpins it all with the Portuguese.
He's suave, charming when he has to be, yet that ruthless streak is the basis of his appeal.
Without it, he's not the Mourinho we know.
The manager enjoys testing those around him, putting the onus on them. He's always asking questions: "Can you sing louder?" "Can you score more goals?"
It's a factor that drives teams on to success. Mourinho's track record is proof enough of that fact.
Whether he agrees with those methods or not, Abramovich needs to stand by his man. Not just now but for the long haul.
Chelsea are on the brink of creating something special in their history right now. With those around them rebuilding and re-evaluating their approach, their time to write another dynasty into the annals of English football is approaching ever closer over the horizon.
A genius will get them there, but only a god will make it happen.
Garry Hayes is Bleacher Report's lead Chelsea correspondent. All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow him on Twitter @garryhayes
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