“The Special One” says he’s not going from “the Bad One” to “the Perfect One,” but Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho claims that he’s the best behaved manager on the touchline in the entire Premier League this season. He’s “serious” about this too, as he used that word three different times, to make it absolutely clear that he’s not joking.
Mourinho was sent off in September at St. Mary’s for being just slightly over the line and a bit onto the pitch. In November of 2016, he was sent off for kicking a water bottle. Then you had his dust-up with Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger.
In short, he’s contributed more than his fair share of touchline antics over the years, but he has been pretty mellow lately.
“I am fully committed to win the award this season of the best-behaved manager on the touchline,” Mourinho said.
“I am serious! There are so many awards – performance of the week, manager of the month and this and that – they should give one (to) the guy that behaves best on the touchline and it should be the fourth official to vote.”
“I’m pretty sure that I would win. I’m serious! I didn’t create one problem to one fourth official on a touchline, apart from my red card at Southampton when I put a foot on the pitch.
“I’m serious, I prepare myself, I’m really happy. I’m not free of losing my temper, my control in one match. I’m not perfect. I’m not going from the Bad One to the Perfect One, no way, but I try, I make an effort and I’m happy with the way things are going.”
Only time will tell if the Football Association or the Premier League start awarding a best behaved manager award, but definitely don’t hold your breath waiting for one.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, currently contributes regularly to WGN CLTV and the Tribune company’s blogging community Chicago Now.
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