Old master and young pretender

Over 2003 and 2004, opportunities existed for Sir Bobby Robson and José Mourinho to face-off against each other with their respective team, master and apprentice.  Unfortunately, Newcastle United did not make the Champions League Group stage to take on Porto (though as Partizan Belgrade, United’s vanquishers, were in Pot Four and Newcastle would have been in Pot 3, the draw may not have placed Newcastle and Porto together).  The opportunity arose again in the 2004-05 season, when Mourinho made the switch to Chelsea.  Alas, the chancer Freddy Shepherd lost his nerve and sacked Sir Bobby after just four games in which they were very unlucky to have garnered only two points (in reality, they should have taken eight, but a last minute handball by Jimmy Floyd Hasselbank snatched a draw for Middlesbrough, a fluky goal won it for Spurs 1-0, Norwich were lucky to draw 2-2 and Aston Villa’s goalkeeper should have been sent off for handballing way outside the area midway through the game).  So the meeting never materialised and, for me, it is a matter of eternal, if small, regret.  The Pet shop Boys may have sung that there are a lot of opportunities but not in this instance. The Had Sir Bobby met with Mourinho, whose Machiavellian streak and mind games were rapidly becoming established knowledge, it would have replicated the scene in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, where Obi-Wan Kenobi and Darth Vader confront each other on the Death Star.  Mourinho could have touted with his imperious Stamford Bridge side (and Champions League medal with Porto in the bag), “Where once I was the apprentice, now I am the master.”  Like Obi-Wan, Sir Bobby could have replied, “Only a master of evil, José.”

This Saturday, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur join in battle for the first time this season.  Back at Chelsea, Mourinho is in the unusual position of old hand, taking on André Villas-Boas, head coach at Spurs.  In this scenario, Sir Bobby takes on the role of Yoda, Mourinho Obi-Wan and Villas-Boas, Annakin Skywalker.  Sir Bobby is the father figure both look up to, but a tension exists between the seasoned Obi-Wan and the impetuous Annakin, the padawan repeatedly criticised by his mentor.  Indeed, they have grown apart and have not spoken for seven years, but in no way could Villas-Boas be comparable to Vader, yet.  With neither side firing on all cylinders, it could be an intriguing personality clash that grabs the eye, just as Sir Alex Ferguson’s former charges were assessed when they became managers in their own right and came up against their old gaffer.