(Manchester United News)
The Stamford Bridge dugouts will separate the two managers on Saturday, but Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho are bound by a shared history…
While they do battle at Stamford Bridge this weekend as equals, the first time Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho crossed paths with Manchester United, over 16 years ago, they were at very different stages of their respective developments.
The Dutchman was at the Barcelona helm, having already conquered European and world football with Ajax, while Mourinho was still in the early stages of his coaching evolution, forming part of van Gaal’s trusted backroom staff as the Catalans fought out a thrilling 3-3 draw with a Treble-bound United side in 1998. The Portuguese's ensuing career has led him around Europe’s top leagues and back to the Premier League to face the man who he described last year as: “my boss”.
Mourinho bestowed the same moniker on the late Sir Bobby Robson, and it was the Englishman who first set the managers on the same course. After the young Portuguese had interpreted at Robson’s first press conference as Porto manager in 1994, his services were utilised and gradually evolved to include scouting duties and a stint coaching the club’s goalkeepers.
When Robson left Portugal to manage Barcelona in 1996, he took Mourinho with him. "He was super,” said the ex-England boss. “I'm not going to go to Barcelona ill-prepared, am I? I knew taking Jose was going to be an advantage to me, to Barcelona, and of course for him it was wonderful.”
But it was the appointment of van Gaal as Robson’s replacement which put Mourinho’s ascent into overdrive. "His analysis was good," said the Dutchman. “You could see he understood football.” The Portuguese was made part of the Barcelona coaching staff and, over time, took the managerial reins during certain friendly matches, while van Gaal observed from the stands. The Dutchman’s use of Mourinho was not universally popular within the club, however, with van Gaal once admitting: “I sometimes think I was the only guy at the club who believed in Jose.”
Speaking in 2005, after taking Chelsea to a first league title in half a century, Mourinho reflected on the influence of his Dutch mentor. "I have to say that van Gaal is a beautiful person,” he said. “He's somebody who is a little bit like me in the sense only the people who know him well know who he is.
