Early season mind games : Mourinho takes thinly-veiled swipes at rivals

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Jose Mourinho and Arsene Wenger have a fierce rivalry that has often boiled over

Old Trafford chief says he leaves clubs ready for success and slams bosses who play pretty football but win nothing

JOSE MOURINHO has taken his latest swipe at Arsene Wenger by suggesting he is a manager who will leave Arsenal “ready for failure”.

And the Manchester United boss has also aimed thinly-veiled swipes at Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola for being praised for playing pretty football – but not actually winning anything.

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Mourinho, who once called Arsenal manager Wenger a “specialist in failure”, has again lit the fuse with his arch nemesis.

And this time the Portuguese hints that Wenger’s 21-year reign – which will last at least another two years after the Frenchman signed a contract extension – is doing the Gunners long-term damage.

Mourinho has never managed a club for more than three years.

But he is adamant his short-term success leaves clubs in a strong position going forward, whereas a boss who has been there for “20 years” can leave it doomed.

Speaking in the Times, Mourinho said: “I prepare clubs for success. I think I prepare clubs in a way where, when I leave, the new manager arrives at a top club.

“And that is not short-term even if you leave. If you’re in a club one or two years — or any job — if you leave a structure to be even more successful without you than with you, that’s not short-term. That’s long-term.

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Jose Mourinho has taken another dig at arch nemesis Arsene Wenger

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“What is the opposite of success? Right, failure. One who leaves the club in conditions for failure. That is a short-term manager.

“You can be there ten or 20 years and when you leave the club, it’s ready for failure.”

Mourinho also looked to sucker punch Liverpool gaffer Klopp and Manchester City chief Guardiola over having style but no substance.

Klopp’s side have been praised for the ferociousness and quality of their counter-attacking while Guardiola’s men display incredible intricacy.

But Mourinho, often criticised for stodgy displays, maintains what he does works because it results in silverware.

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"You have to go to win - and to win with the qualities that you have."

Mourinho cites the example of last season's 2-0 Europa League final win over Ajax and adds: "In that final we were playing an Ajax team that couldn't cope with some of our qualities, so let's go with those qualities.

"That is the pragmatism of football.

"If a manager defends a doctrine of 'I win and I play amazingly well', I applaud.

"But the ones who don't win, who defend something that I don't understand? I don't get it.''