Jose Mourinho has hit back at his critics after his mixed start to life at Fenerbahce by pointing to his formidable trophy record and issuing a tongue-in-cheek apology for being unable to win silverware just a month into the new season.
Mourinho, 61, was appointed on a two-year deal in June in his first role since he departed Roma following two-and-a-half years at the helm of the Serie A side.
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 ‘disrespect’ by his rival manager for his absence.
Fenerbahce also crashed out of the Champions League in the third qualifying round after a two-legged aggregate loss to Lille, banishing them to the Europa League.
Mourinho’s side got off to a winning start in the Europa League on Thursday as they beat Union Saint-Gilloise 2-1, but he was still questioned omn his early struggles in Turkey. The Special One launched a staunch defence of his record and pointed to what he called the ‘Mourinho effect’.
Jose Mourinho has hit back at his critics after his shaky start to life at Fenerbahce
The Special One pointed to his trophy record with a tongue-in-cheek jibe at doubters
‘What is called the Mourinho effect? Trophies. Cups,’ he told reporters. ‘We cannot win trophies in September. There are no trophies to win in September.
‘How can you see the effect? In every club I’ve been, I won cups. Only Tottenham, I left the club two days before a cup final. But in every club, the effect was titles.
‘I cannot win titles in September, I’m sorry.’
It has not taken long for Mourinho to shown signs of anguish with the Turkish media’s approach. Raging after the loss to Galatasaray, he blamed his dugout rival Okan Buruk for the reason he shirked his post-match media duties.
After refusing to turn up for his post-match press conference, he criticised his opposite number for taking too long with his own interviews.
Mourinho even claimed he had been made to wait over 70 minutes.
Galatasaray downed Mourinho’s side to move 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 moaned.
‘The coach who plays away goes first, it’s normal, to be free. But there are limits! I waited 70 minutes and even after that 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 result, just with something that is or is not correct.
‘The same will happen in the next game, I’ll go to the flash interview straight after the game, because that’s the logic of flash interviews.’
He then added: ‘It’s not 20 minutes after the game, it’s straight after.
‘Then you wait 15 minutes, half an hour is normal. 70 minutes? Sorry, but that’s disrespectful! If anyone felt disrespected, it was me.’
Galatasaray mocked him as ‘The Crying One’ on social media shortly after the match
Mourinho stormed away from a reporter after being shown the picture in the mixed zone
Mourinho, who has won a host of trophies in his glittering career including the Champions League twice and several league titles, was brutally mocked as ‘The Crying One’ by Galatasaray on social media shortly after the match.
Shown the graphic by a reporter in the mixed zone, an unimpressed Mourinho fired back by asking: ‘Who are you?’. He then said: ‘Are you serious? Are you kidding?’
Mourinho then walked away as the reporter looked to press him for a response.
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