Chelsea FC: Jose Mourinho Compliments Louis Van Gaal, The New Manchester United Boss

Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Chelsea FC manager Jose Mourinho complimented new Manchester United boss Louis Van Gaal in his press conference for the UN World Food Programme and called him a great man. Mourinho was announced as the newest Global Food Ambassador for the UN’s anti-hunger organization and was asked some questions about Louis Van Gaal’s appointment to the Manchester United position. The Chelsea boss was very complimentary of the Dutchman and complimented not only his managerial abilities but his character as well.

Mourinho on Van Gaal:

"“I see Louis as a man who would accept the same role as I’m accepting now (WFP ambassador). Great man, obviously He is a great football manager and I am happy he joins me in the same country and the Premier League. But more important than that, he’s a great guy, a great man and I wish him good.”"

The two managers worked together when Mourinho was Van Gaal’s assistant manager at Barcelona in the late nineties and early 2000s. Van Gaal was not the first to notice the promise that Mourinho had as a manager but he was the first to give him managerial responsibilities when he allowed him to take charge of the FC Barcelona B team. Van Gaal also allowed Jose to take charge of the first team in certain competitions such as the Copa Catalunya.

It is obvious that Jose Mourinho truly respects Louis Van Gaal and that should make for an interesting dynamic between the two. Mourinho is often at odds with his rivals but this will one of the few times where he truly respects the man on the opposite bench. He developed a respect and even a friendship with Sir Alex Ferguson but that was late in the Scotsman’s career as he was set to retire. At least we will not be seeing any “specialist in failure”-type comments from Mourinho about Van Gaal but with two very strong personalities butting heads you never know what might happen.