I guess today is the day we put to rest the nickname of “The Special One” for Jose Mourinho, a moniker the manager self-ascribed. The nickname led to jokes and parody, with David Moyes being labeled “the chosen one” and Jurgen Klopp “the normal one.”
Although to be fair, neither of those nicknames really stuck. In an interview with France Football, Mourinho said he is now The Calm One.
This despite the fact that he’s wracked up a couple Football Association charges and fines this season.
In the FF interview, he was asked what he has become since taking over at United and Jose Mourinho replied: “I would say, ‘The Calm One.’
“Everyone expected me to be a problem. But the only problem I’ve had up till now is when I kicked a bottle of water in front of me (against West Ham United in reaction to Paul Pogba being booked). I was sent to the stand and had to pay a fine for that.
“That’s my problem: when I’m a little bit frustrated, I kick bottles. But it’s my only outburst since my arrival eight months ago. So, I have become ‘The Calm One.’ Having said that, perhaps tomorrow I’ll get sent off.”
In addition to the West Ham incident that he brought up, Jose Mourinho also found himself in hot water in matches against Burnley and Liverpool.
“Mourinho the man tries to be the opposite of what the manager is,” the Portugese added.
“He tries to be discreet, calm. Find a way to disconnect.”
“I can go home and not watch a football game, not think about football. I can do it. At the beginning of my career, I could not. I was constantly connected, 24 hours a day. I had to find a form of maturity.
“Today, I feel good with my personality as a man. I have matured, I am more peaceful. A victory no longer represents the moon, and a defeat hell.
“I believe that I am able to transmit this serenity to those who work with me, to my players. I have the same ambitions as before. The same involvement, the same professionalism, but I’m more in control of my emotions.”
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. and News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times and NBC Chicago.com, contributes to Chicago Tribune.com, Bold, WGN CLTV and KOZN.
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