Thread by @IJaSport

Jose Mourinho tirelessly explaining the difference between game principles and tactics.

Game Principles do not change from game to game.

Tactics are the application of game principles which change from game to game.

[Thread]

❌“I think what we get now in football is managers go into the game ‘this is what I want to do this is how I play’ and maybe less thinking about the opposition.” - Jamie Carragher at 2:18

Systems change based on the opposition. You HAVE to think about the opposition.

✔️“One thing is tactical systems, another thing principles of play. Principles of play have to be permanent.” - Jose Mourinho at 3:58

Principles of play do not change from game to game.

Example of Game Principle

“All the good teams they defend compact. Higher block, lower block. The lower block is more defensive, the higher block is more offensive... but always in a block... It’s just a basic principle; you have to defend compact.” - Jose Mourinho at 4:47

Another example of a game principle:

“There is another principle… I think when a team has the ball you have to anticipate the moment you are going to lose the ball. But the moment we lose the ball, it’s the moment you have to anticipate and not react.” - Jose Mourinho at 6:05

Question at 11:05

“Shouldn’t you be playing on the front foot is you’re a big club like that?”

....

"No, it depends. And for me the most important thing are the basic fundamentals of the game. There are basic principles."

....

"Atletico Madrid which is a team playing well, scoring goals, winning big matches but look at them when they don’t have the ball they have a compact block of 11 players. That’s a basic principle. It depends on what you demand of the players & what the players are open to.”- JM

Systems of play are based on the qualities of the players, among other things.

Your principles are the same (i.e defend compact as a block), your system of play change from team to team, game to game (i.e low block, high block).

“A top team has to be complete in the four moments of the game. Possession, non-possession, defensive transition, attacking transition… You can be an attacking team, you can be a less attacking team, you have to be good in every moment. That’s a basic thing." - Mourinho at 12:19

Question at 12:50: "Would that be model for your next job, the way Manchester City play?"

Mourinho: “No, because I don’t know where my next job is… You have to adapt what you have in hand."

Mourinho's already answered this indirectly several times; 'It depends'.

Neville at 13:18 “Does the training program always start with the same principle? Is it a defensive principle or attacking principle or do you mix them both equally?

Mourinho: “Both equally.”

He's been saying this for the last 10 minutes; 'You have to be good in every moment.'

This is a fantastic conversation where Mourinho describes with several examples what is the difference is between game principles and systems of play.

Listen to Jose carefully.