Jose Mourinho admits he was a ‘d***head’ to his Inter Milan stars after a defeat

‘I was a d***head to my players’: Jose Mourinho reveals he told Inter Milan stars they had won the ‘Scudetto of s***’ after a defeat prior to their Treble-winning season

  • Jose Mourinho had a bad reaction to his Inter Milan players after a defeat 
  • They lost 3-1 against Atalanta in January 2009 and he was not happy afterwards 
  • He is now closer to the players and admits he made a mistake at the time 

Jose Mourinho has admitted that he was occasionally a ‘d***head’ towards his Inter Milan players prior to their Treble-winning season.

Mourinho famously led an unfancied Inter side to the Serie A title, the Italian Cup and an unlikely Champions League win during the 2009-10 campaign, beating the likes of Barcelona on the way.

And while he remains fond of his time in Milan, he has now suggested he made the wrong decision at times in how he dealt with his squad.

Jose Mourinho has admitted he was occasionally a ‘d***head’ towards his Inter Milan players

He told them they had won the 'Scudetto of s***' after losing to Atalanta in January 2009

He told them they had won the ‘Scudetto of s***’ after losing to Atalanta in January 2009

‘There are relationships: I coach, you play. Empathy depends on the ability to accept me as I am – it’s like a puzzle,’ Mourinho told Gazzetta dello Sport. 

‘At Inter, there were people waiting for someone like me to complete that puzzle. I’m never fake, I’m original: it’s me and that’s it. I was also a d***head, but that was me.’ 

Mourinho then pointed to a particular example – a 3-1 defeat to Atalanta in January 2009 – as a sign of when he had behaved in the wrong manner.

He continued: ‘Especially after the defeat against (Atalanta) Bergamo. I was very violent with the players – I told them they had won the Scudetto of s***. 

Mourinho looks dejected after the defeat, which inspired a violent reaction towards his players

Mourinho looks dejected after the defeat, which inspired a violent reaction towards his players

‘It was only afterwards that I understood I had hurt them and I apologised.’

The Portuguese manager, who is now in charge of Spurs, went on to admit he felt most comfortable in the dugout during his time at the San Siro.

‘I was at my best when I felt at home, where I could feel the emotions of the group, where I was 200 per cent invested with my heart,’ he said. ‘That’s why, on May 22 in Madrid, I was content to experience the happiness of others, all the way from [president Massimo] Moratti to the people working in the warehouse.  

Mourinho and his side went on to win the Treble and he remains close to the players now

Mourinho and his side went on to win the Treble and he remains close to the players now

‘I had already won a Champions League title – I used to always think of myself first and then others. At Inter, it was never like that.

‘In a family, when you become a father, you understand that someone is more important than you and that you move into second place.

‘Ten years later, we are all together again. Just the other day I spoke to Alessio, my driver from my time at Inter. Where and when does it happen that a coach who leaves, ten years later still talks to the driver? Never. That’s Inter for me. These are my people.’

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