After Manchester United booked their passage through to the UEFA Champions League knockout round yesterday, with a 1-0 win over Young Boys at home, Red Devils boss Jose Mourinho felt the need to toot his own horn.
In his post match press conference, he said, unprompted: “For some of my lovers I just want to say: for the ones that like stats, 14 times in the Champions League, 14 times qualified through the group phases. Never one of my teams stayed behind in the group phase.”
“The seasons I didn’t play Champions League, I won the Europa League.”
The man speaks the truth!! RT @brfootball: Respect, man! ?? pic.twitter.com/9aR9siTUIt
— MUFChicago (@MUFChicago) November 28, 2018
First off, let’s give the man credit for that accomplishment. Facts are facts and wins are wins so Mourinho deserves to be recognized for all that he has been able to achieve. Secondly, while many in the media feel the need to attack Mourinho consistently, they should also recognize the favor he does for them in regularly providing “good copy” via all of his colorful commentary.
While his team has played boring football this season on the pitch, Mourinho has more often than not been extremely entertaining during his media opportunities. So while the media bash him, they should also be thankful for what they have in him, because most coaches press conferences are yawn-inducing.
That said, it still seems odd that Jose Mourinho felt the need to engage in this bit of unprovoked braggadocio.
Given all that he’s accomplished (in case you forgot, he just reminded you of some of his achievements), his wealth, his fame, his legions of admirers etc. why go out of your way to fire back at your detractors?
Why do the chest-thumping? Why make it all about yourself instead of the team? There is no real reason for Jose Mourinho to feel insecure right now, and thus over-compensate. He is not on the hot seat right now. Executive Vice President Ed Woodward has made that clear plenty enough recently.
He is not Arsene Wenger towards the tail end of his career, where fan protests calling for his ouster were large and frequent.
In short, he should be more secure about where he is right now, managing what is the essentially the world’s biggest club. Jose Mourinho is currently in an exalted place that most people who go into football could never even dream of reaching.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, regularly appears as a guest pundit on WGN CLTV and co-hosts the “Let’s Get Weird, Sports” podcast on SB Nation.
He also contributes sociopolitical essays to Lineups.com and Chicago Now. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram. The content of his cat’s Instagram account is unquestionably superior to his.