It’s fair to say that Chivas USA boss José Luis Sánchez Solá has already made a splash in MLS.
Not only because his unfancied team holds a 2-1-1 record and sit second in the Western Conference ahead of this weekend’s match with Whitecaps FC, but also because the Mexican has gained a reputation as a bona fide quote machine.
Since taking the reins at The Goats in December of last year, ‘El Chelis’ has already made parallels between his side’s battling performances to writhing around in a barrel of feces, compared the situation of Mexican-American players not playing for Chivas USA to losing track of his own offspring, and when asked about the relationship between the two Chivas clubs the enigmatic coach likened the situation to a fruit salad.
Sánchez Solá joins a long line of quotable coaches in soccer including ‘The Special One’ himself, Jose Mourinho, who has been known to come up with the occasional gem:
On an injury crisis at Chelsea:
"It's like having a blanket that is too small for the bed. You pull the blanket up to keep your chest warm and your feet stick out. I cannot buy a bigger blanket because the supermarket is closed. But the blanket is made of cashmere!"
On developing young players:
"Young players are a little bit like melons. Only when you open and taste the melon are you 100% sure that the melon is good."
On the perils of building a team:
"The style of how we play is very important. But it is omelettes and eggs. No eggs - no omelettes! It depends on the quality of the eggs. In the supermarket you have class one, two or class three eggs and some are more expensive than others and some give you better omelettes. So when the class one eggs are in Waitrose and you cannot go there, you have a problem."
Staying in Europe, current Crystal Palace head coach Ian Holloway has also developed a reputation for entertaining reporters:
On winning away from home:
“If you're a burglar, it's no good poncing about outside somebody's house, looking good with your swag bag ready. Just get in there, burgle them and come out. I don't advocate that obviously, it's just an analogy.”
On using technology in soccer:
“Why aren't we using laptops that are linked up and can give a decision in five seconds? A chimpanzee could do it - with not much training."
Outspoken coaches aren’t limited to the world of soccer though. Here are some more memorable moments from the men in charge:
