Jose Mourinho: Real Madrid need another striker

The Portuguese coach says he is happy with his squad, which is now in Los Angeles for a pre-season tour, but reveals he still hopes to bring in a forward ahead of the new campaign

Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho says he is content with his squad after the summer arrivals of Nuri Sahin, Hamit Altintop, Fabio Coentrao and Jose Callejon, but believes the club still need to bring in a new striker ahead of the coming campiagn.

Mourinho is currently away on a pre-season tour in the United States, having returned from his holidays.

And the Portuguese coach told the club's official website: "I’m happy with the squad, especially when you think we’re still missing [Gonzalo] Higuain and [Angel] Di Maria [currently away with Argentina at the Copa America], who are very important to us.

"It’s fantastic to have more than 90% of the team you want by mid-July because it allows you to work in a different manner."

And Mourinho says Madrid are building a side both for the present and for the future.

"It isn’t easy to sign for Real Madrid because we have a very good squad and we earned important results last season,· he said.

"We won a title [the Copa del Rey] and nothing else because we didn’t win any more. We have decided to improve on, and balance out, the squad without losing track of having to come up with a team for the future; Coentrao is 23 years old, one year younger than Callejon. Sahin is even younger and Varane is an 18-year-old kid.

"We never want to side-track from building a team for years to come that has large room for improvement and progress. We signed men we thought were important to improve on a squad that was already very good - this squad has ten years ahead of it."

Nevertheless, Mourinho is keen to add a top striker to the side this summer.

"I, like everyone else, believe we need another striker," he said.

Madrid have been strongly tipped to sign Brazil forward Neymar this summer, with Argentina strikers Sergio Aguero and Carlos Tevez also linked with a move to the Santiago Bernabeu.

This is really a shame because I know it can't be good at all for Morata

http://www.goal.com/en/news/11/transfer-zone/2011/07/12/2571498/jose-mourinho-real-madrid-need-another-striker

hrealmadrid wrote:The Portuguese coach says he is happy with his squad, which is now in Los Angeles for a pre-season tour, but reveals he still hopes to bring in a forward ahead of the new campaign

Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho says he is content with his squad after the summer arrivals of Nuri Sahin, Hamit Altintop, Fabio Coentrao and Jose Callejon, but believes the club still need to bring in a new striker ahead of the coming campiagn.

Mourinho is currently away on a pre-season tour in the United States, having returned from his holidays.

And the Portuguese coach told the club's official website: "I’m happy with the squad, especially when you think we’re still missing [Gonzalo] Higuain and [Angel] Di Maria [currently away with Argentina at the Copa America], who are very important to us.

"It’s fantastic to have more than 90% of the team you want by mid-July because it allows you to work in a different manner."

And Mourinho says Madrid are building a side both for the present and for the future.

"It isn’t easy to sign for Real Madrid because we have a very good squad and we earned important results last season,· he said.

"We won a title [the Copa del Rey] and nothing else because we didn’t win any more. We have decided to improve on, and balance out, the squad without losing track of having to come up with a team for the future; Coentrao is 23 years old, one year younger than Callejon. Sahin is even younger and Varane is an 18-year-old kid.

"We never want to side-track from building a team for years to come that has large room for improvement and progress. We signed men we thought were important to improve on a squad that was already very good - this squad has ten years ahead of it."

Nevertheless, Mourinho is keen to add a top striker to the side this summer.

"I, like everyone else, believe we need another striker," he said.

Madrid have been strongly tipped to sign Brazil forward Neymar this summer, with Argentina strikers Sergio Aguero and Carlos Tevez also linked with a move to the Santiago Bernabeu.

This is really a shame because I know it can't be good at all for Morata

http://www.goal.com/en/news/11/transfer-zone/2011/07/12/2571498/jose-mourinho-real-madrid-need-another-striker

http://www.realmadrid.com/cs/Satellite/en/1330062467901/noticia/Entrevista/Mourinho:__I_m_happy_with_the_squad,_this_team_has_ten_years_ahead_of_it_.htm

thats the full interview, alot more depth in it. expect goal.com to release it over a few days/weeks as they always do so they dont run dry on news.

And the Portuguese coach told the club's official website: "I’m happy with the squad, especially when you think we’re still missing [Gonzalo] Higuain and [Angel] Di Maria [currently away with Argentina at the Copa America], who are very important to us.

Yup no mention of Gago, bye Gago lmao

I know we all have high hopes for Morata and his future, but the fact remains that he is unproven at the highest level. We do not currently find ourselves in an era of dominance where Barca and Valencia are languishing somewhere between 6th and 8th in the table. Right now we feel pushed to produce the best side we can possibly put out and its unfortunate that we cannot give someone like Morata a chance because there is just too much risk.

Barca were able to take gambles on Bojan in the past, Pedro and most recently Alcantara because they have a developed style and have continuity. Thats why players like Granero and Mata missed out on being directly promoted from our youth teams because we did not find ourselves comfortably in the driving seat as the best team in Spain to take risks.

That is exactly the justification: If someone like Mata was not deemed good enough at the end of the 06-07 season to be promoted for the 07-08 season (a time when we dominated the league), then how can we possibly promote Morata when we're trying so hard to keep Barca's tail-lights in our sights?

wth... looks like he broke a promise. I was really hoping Morata wud be the 3rd choice but this statement removes all doubt. looks like its gonna be Benz, Higuain, <insert_new_striker_name_here>.

Gutted for Morata.

I kind of agree with Mou on this one. I think he's making the case for Neymar if he comes... but i also think that Ade is hanging out there too.

With Higuain on a long recovery road, Benzema still a bit of an uknown factor until he continues his good form and Morata being completely green, you should probably have another striker in there.

Of course, he's completely discounting the fact that CR7 can easily play there if needed.

again with that crap -_-

St_Nick09_of_Goal wrote:again with that crap -_-

Maybe Benz showed up out of shape lol.

sportsczy wrote:I kind of agree with Mou on this one. I think he's making the case for Neymar if he comes... but i also think that Ade is hanging out there too.

With Higuain on a long recovery road, Benzema still a bit of an uknown factor until he continues his good form and Morata being completely green, you should probably have another striker in there.

Of course, he's completely discounting the fact that CR7 can easily play there if needed.

sadly enough i kinda agree as well just gutted for morata. i still remember mourinho always wants 3 top quality strikers. its been like this since he came. ws settled temporarily with the presence of the son of togo but he is not here anymore... no doubt since his departure mou wanted a new striker.
also remember cr7 as striker isnt preferred by neither mou or cr7. a new striker is inevitable and i shud have understood this sooner.

So my fellow madridistas... who is gonna be the 3rd choice?

sportsczy wrote:I kind of agree with Mou on this one. I think he's making the case for Neymar if he comes... but i also think that Ade is hanging out there too.

With Higuain on a long recovery road, Benzema still a bit of an uknown factor until he continues his good form and Morata being completely green, you should probably have another striker in there.

Of course, he's completely discounting the fact that CR7 can easily play there if needed.

a case for Neymar?

it's gonna look real awkward to have Ronaldo, Benzema, Higuain, Neymar all together, with Di Maria, and Ozil to manage as well.

I have a bad feeling about Adebayor looming again.

completely discounting the fact that Ronaldo can be CF indeed. I'm not a fan tbh. Those guys are young, they want/need to play, as opposed to an experienced that would embrace rotation.

it makes signings like Callejon or Altintop look useless tbh.

sportsczy wrote:

St_Nick09_of_Goal wrote:again with that crap -_-

Maybe Benz showed up out of shape lol.

he is still beastly out of shape though. the new and improved benz i mean.

sportsczy wrote:

St_Nick09_of_Goal wrote:again with that crap -_-

Maybe Benz showed up out of shape lol.

he was actually in shape this time lol, Mourinho was calling him during his break to remind him...

Apparently last pre season Benz and Marcelo arrived overweight and Mou was pissseeddd.

Turok I pretty much feel the same way you do, you just gotta feel for Morata. The poor guy.

I don't know on this one though. Neymar has a name, undeniable talant, and a marketing future ahead of him while Morata is homegrown and full of determination.

Regardless I hope Morata gets chances this season.

Read the interview, he wants Morata another year in Casilla to help them become promoted to segunda division. Real Madrid are also going to strengthen Casilla since some key players are going to be loaned out to get primera division experience. Casilla need to play in Segunda division for a more rapid development of all youth players there.

I'd bet that Morata have been asked if he would prefer to spend another year with Casilla or if he'd rather go on loan to gain experience.

I just feel mou is playing it safe too often. One cannot reap the rewards without taking a risk. Morata is a risk, but i believe this risk is a risk worth chancing.

Raul was risked and we ended up having the best forward in our history of the club. ofc, valdano was responsible for promoting him (hope valdano returns someday)

Turok_TTZ wrote:I just feel mou is playing it safe too often. One cannot reap the rewards without taking a risk. Morata is a risk, but i believe this risk is a risk worth chancing.

Exactly. Like him not attacking the in first leg of the CL semi final.

Turok_TTZ wrote:I just feel mou is playing it safe too often. One cannot reap the rewards without taking a risk. Morata is a risk, but i believe this risk is a risk worth chancing.

Raul was risked and we ended up having the best forward in our history of the club. ofc, valdano was responsible for promoting him (hope valdano returns someday)

Mourinho's trophy cabinet will disagree with you.

Error wrote:

Turok_TTZ wrote:I just feel mou is playing it safe too often. One cannot reap the rewards without taking a risk. Morata is a risk, but i believe this risk is a risk worth chancing.

Raul was risked and we ended up having the best forward in our history of the club. ofc, valdano was responsible for promoting him (hope valdano returns someday)

Mourinho's trophy cabinet will disagree with you.

I wasnt talkin trophies, im talkin youth prospects. i dont know any player from the youth academy of any team that has since become wc when mou was around. Has he done a raul like Valdano did? not that i recall.

Higuain: 13 million
Benzema: 35 million
Ronaldo: 94 million

Raul's homegrown heir: priceless

am I the only one that is for bringing adebayor back

Well, Mourinho is obviously talking about Neymar imo. I read from EC that we were pushing to incorporate him in the squad as fast as possible, otherwise Ribeiro and santos wouldnt be trying to talk madrid into Neymar staying till January.

Neymar coming is going to push Benzema out, so i expect another CF again by january if not this summer.

Wait, Nick, Neymar is not going to stay for the CWC?

Turok_TTZ wrote:

Error wrote:

Turok_TTZ wrote:I just feel mou is playing it safe too often. One cannot reap the rewards without taking a risk. Morata is a risk, but i believe this risk is a risk worth chancing.

Raul was risked and we ended up having the best forward in our history of the club. ofc, valdano was responsible for promoting him (hope valdano returns someday)

Mourinho's trophy cabinet will disagree with you.

I wasnt talkin trophies, im talkin youth prospects. i dont know any player from the youth academy of any team that has since become wc when mou was around. Has he done a raul like Valdano did? not that i recall.

Well, that's Mourinho for you. He has never been a guy that will develop youths in to a stars. He always buys near complete products to polish them himself. Sure it's more costly but that has never been an issue with his clubs. But, in the end it usually gives the same end result and requires less work.

he is, but If mourinho can, he would take him in now.

Error wrote:

Turok_TTZ wrote:

Error wrote:

Turok_TTZ wrote:I just feel mou is playing it safe too often. One cannot reap the rewards without taking a risk. Morata is a risk, but i believe this risk is a risk worth chancing.

Raul was risked and we ended up having the best forward in our history of the club. ofc, valdano was responsible for promoting him (hope valdano returns someday)

Mourinho's trophy cabinet will disagree with you.

I wasnt talkin trophies, im talkin youth prospects. i dont know any player from the youth academy of any team that has since become wc when mou was around. Has he done a raul like Valdano did? not that i recall.

Well, that's Mourinho for you. He has never been a guy that will develop youths in to a stars. He always buys near complete products to polish them himself. Sure it's more costly but that has never been an issue with his clubs. But, in the end it usually gives the same end result and requires less work.

That's because when you hire Mou you want and expect titles in the first season and more titles the next season. Players like Morata and Sarabia could at most be second half subs against mid level La Liga sides or start in those games if injury require it. If you want to win titles you can't be dependant on a player like Morata to deliver in case of a injury crisis in say a CL final or Semi-final, and it's not good for him either to be in that position. If Mou were to win a treble next season, then we can talk, the hunger is over, we're at top. That's where you start betting on youth. Not in a do or die situation, which is what Mou is in.

And no guys, Benzema and Higuain is not enough. We need a third striker, it's not a weird request. Having only 2 strikers limits Mous option since he can't start both (which might be a good option if he have a third striker aswell) because he need a backup in case of fatigue or injury, or tactical change. And I know Ronaldo can play up front, but it's not optimal. Look at any other top club in Europe, do they depend on 2 pure strikers only? Inter have Pazzini, Milito, Eto'o and Pandev. Milan have Cassano, Robinho, Pato, Ibra and Inzaghi. Manchester have Rooney, Berba, Owen, Hernandez. Chelsea have Torres, Drogba, Anelka and Kalou...