Rolland Courbis has achieved a lot, there is no doubt about that. When he took over Montpellier, he inherited a relegation bound team that was lacking confidence and quality.
“When I arrived at Montpellier, 18 months after the title was won, the team was in the process of falling apart. It wasn’t solid defensively, it wasn’t effective offensively, and the confidence was shot,” he told Le Parisien in a recent interview.
Now, his side is 6th in Ligue 1, boasts a +8 goal differential, and trails 4th place — and a chance at the Europa League — by 5 points. All are impressive accomplishments by Courbis to be sure, but it seems that no one is as impressed by what Courbis has done than Courbis himself.
Things have gotten to the point where Courbis has called out Jose Mourinho himself.
“I heard Mourinho, whose team conceded five against Tottenham and four against Bradford, saying that he still lacks two or three good players. I laughed so hard I broke my ribs.”
Jose Mourinho just might have the biggest ego in the world. He is known as “the Special One,” a nickname that he gave to himself. And here comes Courbis, absolutely not impressed by Mourinho’s struggle, telling the media that he laughs at Mourinho’s so-called “lack of good players.”
Let’s just think this through. Jose Mourinho established his reputation on his ego, his unwavering belief in his own greatness, and his refusal to be intimidated by any team or manager in the world. Such a mindset was a major factor in how he won the Champion’s League with FC Porto, the biggest underdog to win the competition in recent memory.
So to see a manager at a team worse than any Mourinho has managed in the top flight, coming out and saying that Mourinho’s struggles have caused him to laugh to the point of near injury, is the most Mourinho thing Courbis could have possibly done. In fact, it’s arguably more Mourinho than anything Mourinho ever Mourinho’d.
The18 would just like to say that it sincerely hopes that Montpellier qualifies for the Europa League, and that Chelsea crashes into it next year as well, just so the world can get the Mourinho-Courbis showdown that it deserves.
We just have one thing to say to you, Courbis. If and when you come at the Special One, you better not miss.
