Jose Mourinho has responded to his critics after his mixed start to life at Fenerbahce, pointing to his formidable trophy record and issuing a tongue-in-cheek apology for failing to win trophies just a month into the new season.
Mourinho, 61, was signed on a two-year deal in June in his first role since leaving Roma after two and a half years at the helm of the Serie A team.
But he has been unable to hit the ground running with his charges already five points behind Galatasaray in the Super Lig after a 3-1 defeat to the same club this month. Mourinho refused to attend the post-match press conference, citing “lack of respect.”
Fenerbahce were also knocked out of the Champions League in the third qualifying round after a two-leg aggregate defeat to Lille, which banished them to the Europa League.
However, when questioned about his early problems in Türkiye, the Special One launched a staunch defense of his record and pointed to what he called the “Mourinho effect”.
José Mourinho has responded to his critics after his shaky start at Fenerbahce
El Especial highlighted his achievements with an ironic mockery of the skeptics.
‘What is the Mourinho effect called? Trophies. Cups,” he told reporters. ‘We can’t win trophies in September. There are no trophies to win in September.
‘How can you see the effect? In all the clubs I was in I won cups. Only Tottenham left the club two days before a cup final. But in all the clubs the effect was the titles.
“I can’t win titles in September, I’m sorry.”
Mourinho was quick to show signs of anguish with the Turkish media’s approach. Enraged after the loss to Galatasaray, he blamed his rival on the bench, Okan Buruk, for why he shirked his post-match media duties.
After refusing to attend the post-match press conference, he criticized his counterpart for taking too long in his own interviews.
Mourinho even claimed that he had been made to wait more than 70 minutes.
Galatasaray defeated Mourinho’s team and is five points clear at the top of the Super Lig.
Mourinho did not attend his post-match press conference and said he had been disrespected
‘I have never avoided a press conference in my 24-year career. I have never been afraid of journalists and their questions,” Mourinho complained.
‘The coach who plays away goes first, it’s normal, to be free. But there are limits! I waited 70 minutes and even then I couldn’t go, because his press conference continued. I can’t wait 70, 75 or 80 minutes for a press conference.
‘It had nothing to do with the outcome, just something that is right or wrong.
“The same will happen in the next game. I will go to the flash interview immediately after the game, because that is the logic of flash interviews.”
Then he added: “It’s not 20 minutes after the game, it’s immediately after.”
‘Then you wait 15 minutes, half an hour is normal. 70 minutes? I’m sorry, but that’s disrespectful! If anyone felt disrespected, it was me.’
Galatasaray mocked him as ‘El Llorón’ on social media shortly after the match.
Mourinho stormed away from a journalist after being shown the photo in the mixed zone.
Mourinho, who has won a host of trophies in his brilliant career, including the Champions League twice and several league titles, was brutally mocked as “He Who Cries” by Galatasaray on social media shortly after the match.
When a journalist showed him the graphic in the mixed zone, an unimpressed Mourinho responded by asking: “Who are you?” Then he said, ‘Are you serious? Are you kidding?’
Mourinho then walked away as the journalist sought to pressure him into responding.