Eto'o: "A fool called me an old man"

Samuel Eto'o has described Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho as a "fool" for questioning his age and vowed to play on at the highest level for some time to come.

Eto'o told africanfootball.com: "Thanks for informing me that it will be my last World Cup.

"Today, I am 33 years old. And it is not because a fool called me an old man that you must believe it.

"And you may have noticed that the old man was better than the youngsters.

"Some believe I am going to retire in the United States or in the Middle East, but I have regained the joy of the Champions League and I am going to carry on playing in the Champions League. Where? I am not going to tell you.

"But I am going to carry on playing because physically and mentally I feel great.

"So I am going to go to this World Cup and to the next one when I will be 37.

"Some did it at 42, so I can still play in two more World Cups."

Following Chelsea's final game of the season at Cardiff, Mourinho suggested Eto'o would depart this summer, at the end of his one-season deal.

http://www.itv.com/sport/football/article/2014-05-15/etoo-slams-chelsea-boss-mourinho-over-age-comments/

sportsczy wrote:He's right.  He may no longer be the Eto'o of old.  But he can still be very effective if used properly.  Mourinho lost the plot in terms of an attacking philosophy at Madrid.  It was all about punting the ball towards CR7 and letting him do his thing.  It failed in his last year at Madrid and now it failed with Hazard at Chelsea.  

If i play Chelsea, i sit back and let them come to me because they have no idea how to build an attack or how to defend against a counter attack.  No reason to try and create play against a Mou team unless you have a decided advantage in the midfield.  The blueprint against him is very clear.

lszanto wrote:

sportsczy wrote:He's right.  He may no longer be the Eto'o of old.  But he can still be very effective if used properly.  Mourinho lost the plot in terms of an attacking philosophy at Madrid.  It was all about punting the ball towards CR7 and letting him do his thing.  It failed in his last year at Madrid and now it failed with Hazard at Chelsea.  

If i play Chelsea, i sit back and let them come to me because they have no idea how to build an attack or how to defend against a counter attack.  No reason to try and create play against a Mou team unless you have a decided advantage in the midfield.  The blueprint against him is very clear.

It's a shame managers that are paid millions to study this stuff for a living can't work it out when some guy on a forum has it all sorted.

lszanto wrote:

It's a shame managers that are paid millions to study this stuff for a living can't work it out when some guy on a forum has it all sorted.

Gil wrote:He's not talking about Eto'o you morons. Someone claimed he was lying about his age that's who he was clearly referring to.

Betty La Fea wrote:

Gil wrote:He's not talking about Eto'o you morons. Someone claimed he was lying about his age that's who he was clearly referring to.

He's not talking about himself?

sportsczy wrote:Only under rare circumstances (and i mean very rare) are historical elite clubs allowed to play conservative... if the managers at these clubs play ugly football in most of the big games, they would get kicked out on their arse (which is what happened to Mou at Madrid btw).  And then you have managers that are just too proud to lower themselves to playing a certain way.

For the elite clubs, it's not just about winning.... it's how you win as well.

sportsczy wrote:
They don't because there's pressure to not only win but play beautifully at many of the top clubs.  Only under rare circumstances (and i mean very rare) are historical elite clubs allowed to play conservative... if the managers at these clubs play ugly football in most of the big games, they would get kicked out on their arse (which is what happened to Mou at Madrid btw).  And then you have managers that are just too proud to lower themselves to playing a certain way.

For the elite clubs, it's not just about winning.... it's how you win as well.

Betty La Fea wrote:

Gil wrote:He's not talking about Eto'o you morons. Someone claimed he was lying about his age that's who he was clearly referring to.

He's not talking about himself?

Samuel Eto’o has again hit out at his detractors – notably the Chelsea manager José Mourinho – over his age.

In an interview with the Confederation of African Football website, the 33-year-old Cameroon striker made reference to Mourinho as a “puppet” after previously describing his boss as a “fool” in comments which are almost certain to signal his departure from Stamford Bridge.

Eto’o, who won the Champions League under Mourinho while at Internazionale, said on cafonline.com: “Contrary to what a puppet says about my age, I am still physically fit. At 33, I feel real good. I have proven that I could do better than youths.”

Mourinho was caught on camera making unguarded comments suggesting Eto’o was older than his official age earlier this season.

Eto’o, who scored 12 times for the Blues, celebrated his next goal by acting like a geriatric and repeated his aim is to continue playing at the top level in Europe.

“And I wish to also say that I am not going to the United States or to the Middle East,” said Eto’o, who is out of contract at Chelsea following a season-long deal after leaving Anzhi Makhachkala. “I will continue at the top level. I will continue to play the Champions League.

“My romance with this competition is far from over. I will not tell you where, but I will be at the top level.

“I am 33 and I have two World Cups to play. Before me there are other players who went on until the age of 41. So I can continue.”