Story By: Juan Mayes, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Golder’s News And Sport

Former Chelsea striker Samuel Eto’o has said he has no love for Pep Guardiola “as a person” but praised the Manchester City boss’ arch-rival Jose Mourinho.

The recently retired Eto’o, 38, made the comments in a speech at a gala dinner for Congress Aspire Global Summit in the Qatari capital Doha.

In his speech, the 38-year-old spoke about his 22-year career and several coaches that he came across along the way that marked both his professional and personal life.

When speaking about Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, who coached Eto’o said: “I am in love with Guardiola as a manager but not as a person.”

He then added: “He is the manager who got his messages across best, I really learned how to play football with Guardiola.

“He interprets the game better than anyone. His way of transferring information to you is what makes him different. He is the best but he loses matches, of course.”

Eto’o also had words to speak about former Chelsea manager Mourinho during their time together in Inter Milan.

Eto’o said: “When I first got to Inter that guy would put me on the bench and then had me warm up in the 89th minute for a month.

“After a while, I went to talk to him in his office and we spoke clearly. He told me ‘Good, now I have my player’. After that, everything was good between us. I will always tell you what I have to say to your face with respect, then we will have a debate.”

When Eto’o spoke about his favourite manager he was very clear, Spanish boss Luis Aragones. The two spent time together atMallorca early in the Cameroonian’s career.

Eto’o said: “If I had to pick a manager it would be Luis Aragones because he changed my life. One talk in his office at Mallorca totally changed my football life.

“He called me and said ‘Samuel you have done everything in Mallorca these years and I think it is time you went to a big club and we find out where your level really lies’. I thought ‘what is this old man saying to me right now’.

“He saw things I did not at the time. Luis was unique and he knew how to use his personality to his advantage. Even though he had a strong character like me, in the end, he was like a father to me. If I become a boss, it would be an honour to coach like him.”

Eto’o said “the idea of managing a team is in my head but I still have to decide” however if he does end up taking a managing role for a team, he is clear in that his “biggest dream is to win a World Cup with Cameroon” since being “an important black manager is difficult in football, if I won the World Cup, that is what I would be”.

Samuel Eto’o retired this September after 22 years of playing professionally. He played for Chelsea, Barcelona and Inter Milan among the others, winning the Champions League three times, once with Inter and twice with Barcelona.

He eventually ended up at Qatar SC where he decided to retire.

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