What Jay-Jay can learn from the new Mourinho
Criticism Is Not the Problem. Belittling Is.
Isaac Clad
View author profile 6d ago·296views·4 min read
Opinion
The views expressed in this opinion article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views, editorial policy, or position of Dailyaccra.com, its editors, or its management.
A lot of Nigerian Messi and Barcelona fans have come to the defence of Jay-Jay Okocha after comments he made on a podcast with Mikel Obi. Okocha compared Cristiano Ronaldo to Erling Haaland, and for many Ronaldo fans, that comparison was not something they were willing to overlook.
As expected, many Madrid and Ronaldo fans have descended on Okocha.
But there is an interesting lesson in all of this, especially when we look at how Jose Mourinho has handled similar situations.
Around the same period, Mourinho said he would not sign Lamine Yamal. On the surface, that could easily have created trouble with Barcelona fans and the Spanish media. If this were the Mourinho of his early years, the Mourinho who won the Champions League with FC Porto and was always ready for a fight in the media, the statement might have become a much bigger story.
But Mourinho has grown.
After years of working in the spotlight and experiencing how badly media battles can affect a manager's career, he has become much more careful with his words.
There was something very clever about the way he spoke about Yamal.
Mourinho did not deny Yamal's talent. He did not insult him. He did not suggest that Yamal was an ordinary footballer who had simply received too much attention. Instead, he acknowledged his ability while explaining why he personally would not choose to sign him.
That distinction matters.
Yamal has a huge following in world football today. Whether you like Barcelona or not, whether you think Yamal is already a great player or still has a lot to prove, his reputation is enormous. When you speak about someone with that level of popularity and pedigree, the way you frame your criticism matters.
This is something many public commentators, former players and even journalists sometimes forget.
People do not necessarily hate criticism of their idols. What they hate is seeing their idols belittled.
You can disagree with Cristiano Ronaldo. You can disagree with Lionel Messi. You can question their achievements, their style of play or even their place in football history. You are allowed to have an opinion.
But there is a difference between saying, "I don't think he is as good as people say," and saying something that sounds like you are placing an all-time great in the same category as an ordinary player.
The second statement may be intended as an opinion, but people will hear it as disrespect.
And this is where public figures need to be careful.
When you have played at the highest level, people expect your opinions to carry weight. But that also means your words can carry more damage than those of an ordinary football fan.
Jay-Jay Okocha is not just another football commentator. He is one of Africa's most celebrated footballers. His opinion about football naturally carries authority. That is precisely why his comparisons will be examined more closely.
The same applies to Mourinho.
Mourinho understands the power of words because he has spent decades using them. Earlier in his career, he often used the media as part of the battle. He could provoke opponents, managers, clubs and journalists with a single sentence.
But experience teaches you something.
Not every battle needs to be fought, and not every opinion needs to be expressed in the most provocative way possible.
Mourinho's handling of Yamal shows that growth.
He can say, "I wouldn't sign him," without saying, "He isn't good enough."
Those are two completely different messages.
One expresses a personal decision.
The other attacks the person's ability.
This is an important lesson beyond football.
In politics, business, religion, entertainment and everyday life, people are often more offended by how we say something than by what we actually say.
You may have the best intentions. You may genuinely believe you are only making a comparison. You may even have facts to support your argument.
But before you speak, understand who you are talking about, what that person represents to people, and the weight of your own voice.
There is a difference between criticism and contempt.
There is a difference between disagreement and disrespect.
And there is a difference between saying someone is not your choice and saying that the person is not worthy of the admiration they receive.
Public figures should learn this distinction.
Okocha's comments may have been intended simply as football analysis. Ronaldo's fans may have interpreted them differently. Both things can be true at the same time.
The larger lesson, however, is not really about Ronaldo, Okocha, Messi, Barcelona or Madrid.
It is about the art of speaking in public.
As your profile grows, your words become heavier. The bigger your reputation, the more carefully you have to choose your comparisons.
You do not have to stop criticizing people.
You simply have to learn how to criticize without belittling.
And perhaps that is one of the biggest lessons Jose Mourinho has learned from growing up in the spotlight.