Jose Mourinho labels himself ‘The Foreign One’ as he criticises Turkish football less than three months after becoming Fenerbahce manager
- Jose Mourinho has been the manager of Fenerbahce in Turkey since June
- His team conceded a late equalizer in a 2-2 draw away at Goztepe on Saturday evening
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José Mourinho has been known worldwide as ‘The Special One’ for 20 years.
He earned the nickname after a confident remark he made during his first press conference as Chelsea manager in June 2004.
Six clubs and 19 trophies later, Mourinho is still known for his blockbuster press conferences.
Mourinho’s latest memorable statement came on Saturday night when he called himself ‘The Foreigner’ after his Fenerbahce side conceded an equaliser in the 95th minute of a 2-2 draw at Goztepe.
This was Mourinho’s sixth match as manager of Fenerbahce, but only his second in the Turkish Super Lig. His other four matches were Champions League qualifiers.
Jose Mourinho pictured during a press conference after Fenerbahce drew 2-2 at Goztepe
Mourinho, 61, was animated on the sidelines during the Turkish Super Lig match
Mourinho’s comment was part of a tirade about the state of Turkish football.
The former Chelsea, Real Madrid, Man United and Tottenham manager hit out at what he described as a culture of time-wasting and play-acting.
But rather than suggesting that his team needed to learn to rise above the antics of their opponents, Mourinho – perhaps sarcastically – argued that he and his players needed to adapt and do the same.
Mourinho told reporters: ‘The passion, the love, the enthusiasm, it’s all in line with my passion for football. Then there are other things that are beyond my control, they are cultural.
“It seems that I have to adapt and not the other way around. I am the one who has arrived, I am the stranger. I am not going to change the state of affairs.
‘So I have to adapt… I’m not a magician, I have experience.’
The Special One called himself ‘the foreigner’ and said he had to adapt to Turkish football
Fenerbahce led before conceding an equaliser in the 95th minute on Saturday
He later added: ‘It is not Turkish football that has to adapt to me. It is I who has to adapt to Turkish football.
“My players have to do what other teams do to us. They have to take their time. They have to get on the field. They have to stop the game. They have to simulate injuries. They have to do what every team does.”