Drive-by shots at Jürgen Klopp, the self-proclaimed greatest and a delve into philosophy - it was another quintessential Jose Mourinho presser
It was a fighting performance from Mourinho, who was defensive even when asked the tamest of questions
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.When it was put to Jose Mourinho that he and his team were in “fighting mood” after the defeat to Tottenham Hotspur , as they seek to get this already difficult season back on track, he initially responded by just saying: “No, playing football.”
You wouldn’t have guessed from the rest of his press conference that football was the only way back, as the Manchester United manager very quickly proceeded to get combative. That brought some deflecting parries, too, this time in the form of a philosophy lesson to go with yet another history lesson. They were accompanied by the more typical drive-bys and sideswipes, as well as a literal proclamation of his own greatness, as Mourinho then doubled down on the far less credible claim that last season’s second-place was one of his greatest achievements in football.
And yet such desperate responses just reinforced the perception of a man who now badly, badly needs the only response that really matters in football: a win, this time against Burnley on Sunday.
That match was barely discussed because Mourinho’s press conference so quickly degenerated into another back-and-forth about whether he is past it, with that then so quickly just cut off by the United press officer.
For his part, the opening question had been about the Tottenham Hotspur fans singing “you’re not special any more” during their 3-0 win at Old Trafford.
Mourinho had come out seeming content, chirping a hello, and couldn’t resist the opportunity presented.
“Yeah, but they didn’t have that song when we beat them at Wembley a couple of months ago, that final they had a big dream to go, a title they had a big dream to win, because they don’t win many. In that night at Wembley the United fans were singing the special one and of course they were not singing that.”
Mourinho’s own tune soon became very different. What was all the more remarkable, and all the more reflective of his hair-trigger mood at the moment, was that the question that really set things off was so soft, so tame. He was simply asked to talk about the privilege and challenge of managing one of the biggest clubs in the world.
Except, having last week said none of this was about him, he instantly made the question about him rather than the club.
“I am the manager of one of the greatest clubs in the world but I am also one of the greatest managers in the world.”
That naturally prompted a back-and-forth about such a status, and whether he can continue to call himself one of the greatest in the world if he doesn’t win a title at United - let alone whether this season goes as badly as many are now worrying.
It also prompted his latest appeal to authorities beyond most recent results: this time the philosophy of Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel.
“Of course,” the Portuguese had answered. “Did you read any philosopher or in your information you never spent time reading Hegel? Just as an example Hegel says the truth is in the whole, is always in the whole…”
It is a particularly interesting reference, not least because he hasn’t exactly applied such an approach in the past. He didn’t apply it when he called Arsene Wenger “a specialist in failure”. It’s also an interesting choice of philosopher, since Hegel’s “great man” view of Napoleon is doubtless something the manager would like to think of himself.
The rub here is that Mourinho wants his career to be judged as a whole, but no one is criticising anything he did in the past. It’s whether present performance falls short of it, but that is doubtless why he made this bizarre argument that last season’s second place is one of his finest feats, having again referenced those eight titles.
“I repeat, I won eight titles, I am the only manager in the world that won in Italy, Spain and England and by winning eight titles - not small titles or countries - my second position last season is one of my greatest achievements in football.”
Within and around all of this, there were comments that could be inferred as drive-bys at Jurgen Klopp for never winning an international trophy, at Tottenham Hotspur for going so long without a trophy, references to “small titles” - which he has implied in the past means the Bundesliga.
It’s just a pity for him that no other inferences can be taken from bad results. They speak louder than anything.
Mourinho just badly needs a good one.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments