Wherever he has been, José Mourinho has left his mark, winning the love of the fans, trophies and important successes. Ultimately, it is difficult to remain indifferent to him: a coach with a strong personality, capable of uniting everyone around a common objective. In all the clubs he has managed, he has created a deep connection with the fans and the environment, which has continued even after his departure. Benfica, Porto, Chelsea, Inter, Manchester United, Tottenham, Roma, Fenerbahçe and, on two occasions, Real Madrid: a career of the highest level, which has nevertheless also reserved some disappointments.
In an interview with “Corriere dello Sport”, the “Special One” revealed that he has always had a special bond with the teams he has managed, with one exception. At Tottenham, a human bond was never created, both due to the difficulties of an environment that has put even the best coaches in difficulty in recent years, and due to the COVID-19 pandemic period, which greatly complicated the situation, depriving the Portuguese of human warmth and the support of the fans.
Mourinho clarifies relationship with Tottenham
It's impossible not to be drawn to a coach like him, but his charisma hasn't always been enough to help him. Mourinho showed that in all his experiences he has felt at home, or rather, in almost all of them. There was something different about Tottenham that didn't allow him to feel completely comfortable. "I have a special relationship with almost all of my former clubs. Almost all of them. I went to Tottenham during the COVID period: zero human contact, the stadium is almost always empty, we only played two or three games with fans. There were no fans, there was no interaction. I don't have that connection with Spurs."
Mourinho never managed to create a deep relationship in north London, where he managed for about a year and a half. He was sacked a week before the League Cup final in 2021, a decision that surprised many fans. Only with Tottenham did that bond not form, while at other clubs he has always managed to create a special rapport, even when departures have been tense. "I have always left on good terms, even when I have been sacked. I have never said a negative word. Nor about Roma, there is no negative statement from my side against the owners. I leave with dignity even when it may seem otherwise. I am a very educated person in human relations."
What happened in London?
The history with Spurs was short but full of turmoil. The Portuguese coach took over in 2019, replacing Argentine Mauricio Pochettino, one of the most beloved coaches of recent years, who had built a great team that, just a few months before his departure, had reached the Champions League final, where they lost to Liverpool.
Much of Jose Mourinho's London adventure took place during the COVID-19 pandemic, which brought about the lack of human contact he spoke about in the interview. Taking over the reins of the team after the Argentine was difficult under those circumstances and, after a relatively satisfactory first season, the results did not come. In his first season, Mourinho led Tottenham from 14th to sixth place, securing qualification for the Europa League, from which the team was eliminated in the round of 16 in 2021.
The second season was difficult and the sacking came just six days before the League Cup final against Manchester City. An unusual moment, which did not give him the opportunity to play for his first trophy with Spurs, which could have changed the course of his adventure in London.
