Jose Mourinho Talks Ballon d'Or, Cristiano Ronaldo, More in Telegraph Interview

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has given a wide-sweeping interview in The Telegraph, addressing a plethora of topics in football. He spoke of the flaw in the Ballon d'Or, the ludicrous influence of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, plus the over-seriousness of football fans.

Mourinho isn't renowned for agreeing with Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger—previously calling him a "specialist in failure"—but he does agree with the Frenchman's assertion that it might be best to banish the Ballon d'Or. Mick Brown of The Telegraph reports Mourinho's comments:

"

I think Wenger said something that is interesting; he is against the Ballon d’Or, and I think he’s right, because in this moment football is losing a little bit the concept of the team to focus more on the individual.

We are always looking at the individual performance, the individual stat, the player that runs more. Because you run 11km in a game and I run nine you did a better job than I did? Maybe not! Maybe my 9km were more important than your 11.

"

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It's an interesting point, and perhaps something that should be taken into consideration when the individual prize is given out.

Although goals and assists are always going to lead the way, how does one define the effectiveness of a shift put in by those who aren't continually in front of goal? Is Diego Costa's dart to the front post before netting more important than Nemanja Matic's ability to snuff out a chance when the opposition breaks forward? These nuances are highlighted in Mourinho's point.

The Blues boss doesn't understand how players such as Ronaldo and Messi—who appeared on Forbes' top 100 most influential people in the world list last year, per Brown—can receive such recognition:

"

It’s absurd! We don’t save lives! I know that people can jump from a fifth floor because his team lost a game, but that person has problems. How can you compare a football player, a football manager with a scientist, a doctor? You cannot compare.

"

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Mourinho appears to carry himself seriously, often running into spats with the press and FA. He is crafty—manipulating press conferences to make himself the main headline, removing pressure from his players—but he suggests this is just an act, per Brown: "I am passionate about football, of course. But for us professionals, if it means everything, we are in trouble; and for supporters the same."

However, Mourinho does believe the fans should be considered the livelihood of any club: "The manager is not the most important person in the club—of course not. I keep saying, the most important person in the club is first the supporters, secondly the owner, third the players, and then I come. But it is the manager that everyone looks at."

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In typical Mourinho style, despite playing down his own importance, he dropped a quote many will remember. Henry Winter of The Telegraph tweeted it:

Chelsea are currently seven points clear atop the Premier League. It has taken Mourinho less than two seasons to make the west London club England's most dominant during his second spell. He has quickly built one of Europe's most complete squads, but suggests he could have at least 20 more years in the game during Brown's interview.

He will be remembered as one of the sport's all-time great coaches no matter what. He is a constant winner, someone whose character is intriguing by its difficult nature to judge. Even so, don't expect him to agree with Wenger again by the time he calls it a day.