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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Samuel Meade

Samuel Eto'o knows difference between being coached by Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho

Samuel Eto'o is one of the players to work under Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho with their contrasting styles leaving their mark on the forward.

The Cameroon star left Guardiola and Barcelona to join Mourinho and Inter Milan in 2009.

He spent one year under both at the aforementioned clubs before he reunited with the Special One at Chelsea for a season in 2013.

Eto'o has never been shy in giving his opinion having enjoyed a trophy-laden career.

He twice won the Champions League at Barcelona, the first one of those coming under Frank Rijkaard, before adding a third triumph as Inter won the treble in 2010.

Guardiola and Mourinho's relationship began at the Nou Camp before it transcended into a rivalry in Spain and then England.

Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho have both won two Champions Leagues (PA)

"The only common point these two coaches have is the desire to win," Eto'o told Gazzetta dello Sport. “They are completely different personalities and have a different vision of football."

The duo are the two most successful coaches of the modern era with Guardiola still regarded by many as the best operator in world football.

Being a genius on the training ground is one thing but making a lasting impression on your players is another.

Eto'o credits the Catalan with ticking all the boxes when it comes to the former, but lacking when it comes to the latter.

"I stick to what I said, and I'm not the only person who has said it," Eto'o told Marca in the past.

"My experience with Pep at Barcelona was what it was, but on a personal level it wasn't what we hoped for. Many players have said the same about him.

"As a coach, Pep prepares games like nobody else. How he coached us in 2009 was incredible, his way of seeing attacking football, control, having the ball, rondos, Pep was the best at that.

"As a player, you had the feeling that you didn't run much, although you did, because you were enjoying it.

Samuel Eto'o struggled personally with the Catalan (AFP via Getty Images)

"They are specific techniques for those of us who love good football. For me, football is feeling like you're in a theatre, and seeing tiki taka, passing the ball, it's not the only way to win but its special. It's Pep's way."

Guardiola opted to swap Eto'o for Zlatan Ibrahimovic after claiming the treble in 2009.

Eto'o and Inter would then thwart Barcelona's defence of the Champions League, beating them in the semi-finals.

Mourinho's success at the San Siro is seen as arguably his finest achievement with his man management of an ageing side key.

Jose Mourinho led Inter Milan and Samuel Eto'o to the treble (GETTY)

Eto'o said on the Special One: "He's a person who's upfront and when he doesn't like something, he tells you. We both have strong temperaments and we understood each other well.

"He's one of the best people I have found in football. People try to present him as controversial, but it's a lie. What happens is that life, and football, is hypocritical and they prefer that to having honest people.

"Mou is a top guy. The other thing is that he only cares about the result. It's his way of seeing football and in that sense he is the number one. Beating him at his game is impossible, you can never beat him.

"He's a winner and a born leader. He spoke to you with the right words. He's great."

Pep Guardiola's shortcoming in Munich have been used to criticise him (GETTY)

The contrasting styles of Guardiola and Mourinho have often led to people siding with one or the other.

Whilst their end goals remain the same, the methods they employ to get there could not be more different.

Despite that, Eto'o's preference over the years has been clear having cited Guardiola's shortcoming in Germany.

He once said: "I can't compare Mourinho to Guardiola, one of them couldn't win the Champions League with Bayern Munich and the other one did it with Porto."

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