Arsenal: Arsene Wenger And Jose Mourinho Hatred Inspired By Similarity

Arsenal’s Petr Cech said that Arsene Wenger and Jose Mourinho both hate losing. It is this same motivation that drives their shared contempt of one another.

It comes naturally that a manager of 20 years old does not find favour in everyone’s eyes. Arsene Wenger was despised early in his career by Sir Alex Ferguson as Arsenal often got the better of rivals of Manchester United, parts of the fanbase have, at times, been driven to anger at their long-time manager and there are many other examples of people who are simply not fans of Wenger.

Related Story: Arsene Wenger's Best Starting XI

None, though, perhaps compare to the red hot hatred between Wenger and the good old Jose Mourinho. The two London managers – or at least former London managers for Mourinho – have clashed many times previously, with Jose notoriously holding a winning record over Wenger until Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain sealed a 1-0 win in the  2015 Community Shield.

More from Pain in the Arsenal

• 3 observations from Arsenal’s victory at Goodison Park
• 3 standout players from 1-0 victory over Everton
• 3 positives & negatives from Goodison Park victory
• Arsenal vs PSV preview: Prediction, team news & lineups
• 3 talking points from Arsenal’s victory at Goodison Park

However, the dislike for one another has lasted since Mourinho’s first stint with the Blues and continues to this day. What could be the reason for their continued rivalry? Well, who better to ask than Petr Cech, a man who has enjoyed time under each manager. When asked to compare the two management styles, Cech highlighted one key similarity:

"“They are different but there is one thing they have in common and that is, they don’t like defeats. And I think this is the driving force behind the success of both of them. Because you cannot last for such a long time if you don’t have the commitment and the hunger and if you are not doing everything to avoid defeat.”"

Perhaps it is this shared detestation of losing that drives both men to lock horns so regularly and with such ferocity. The two are so desperate to avoid defeat that they are willing to go to any lengths to avoid it. When they face each other so regularly, in such important games between two heated rivals – that last is still true with Mourinho now at Manchester United – it is no surprise that their relationship is so tempestuous and turbulent.

It is wonderful to watch from a neutral’s perspective and horrible to watch as a fan of Wenger and critic of Mourinho given the record between the two, but it is a testament to the sport, that two such great managers can succeed over such a long period of time with two completely different styles, both in their mechanics and their destinations.

Next: Arsenal Vs Chelsea: Crunching The Numbers

The ever abrasive and aggressive Mourinho has chopped and changed clubs as quickly as he changes his mind, while Wenger, the rarely ruffled, ever the philosopher, Le Prof, as he is known, has achieved similar levels of success for 20 years at one club. The two are equally brilliant managers, but their distaste for one another is perhaps only matched by their hatred of losing.