Arrogant, selfish and quoting stats about himself... looks like the old Mourinho is back

IAN WRIGHT can barely contain himself at the best of times, but you could hardly blame him for dissolving into a fit of the giggles during his latest appearance on Match of the Day.

Jose Mourinho – after his side’s 3-1 win at St James’ Park, was in a familiar mood – saying if he was the selfish type, he would be telling you how Spurs would be fourth, were there a league table for the period since he took over.

But he is not the selfish type, so he won’t tell you. Only he just has, of course.

No wonder Gary Lineker and Tim Cahill nearly joined Wrighty in almost falling out of their BBC chairs in amusement.

It was vintage Mourinho. In fact, it is a rhetorical technique dating back to the ancient Greeks.

During his career, how many times have you heard Mourinho say he does not need to mention the number of trophies he has won – thereby highlighting the number of trophies he has won. Not the selfish type?

It is hard to think of a more selfish manager in football.

He said in his brief Match of the Day interview on Wednesday that he was “all for Tottenham”. All for Tottenham? All for himself. But during his stellar managerial years, that is the way he always was and that is the way he needs to be if Spurs are to mix it with the elite next season. Back-toback wins over

Arsenal and

Newcastle are hardly concrete reasons for unbridled optimism among Spurs fans, but Mourinho looked like he had a bit of the old sparkle back in his eyes. There was certainly a bit of throwback mischief in his pop at the Manchester City verdict and, in his later assertion, that he needs a good group of players “and if we can do that without breaking FFP, even better”.

Quite frankly, we all should have better things to do than work out the entire Premier League table since Mourinho joined Spurs.

But if he says he would have been fourth, he probably would have been fourth. He does not often get those sorts of things wrong.

Things about himself. An easier calculation shows Mourinho has won 12 of his first 24 Premier League games with Spurs, while Mauricio Pochettino won six of his last 24 games.

Out of the first 72 points available to Mourinho, he has collected 41. Out of the last 72 available to Pochettino, he collected 25.

In terms of style, development and emotional connection with the club, the place in Tottenham hearts for Pochettino is secure. Understandably so. They have a special bond. But Mourinho’s Spurs have had bad luck with injuries and, while his football has been often uninspiring, his points average is decent.

And if he now finishes with a flourish and with victories against Leicester and Palace, Spurs should have European football to look forward to. It will only be the Europa League, which “is not a competition I am in love with”, says Mourinho. “But I have played in it twice and won it twice.”

Of course you have, Jose. Of course, you have. As if we could possibly forget. Maybe, just maybe, Mourinho is getting his mojo back.

IT was typical of his self-effacing character that Barry Geraghty announced his retirement with a simple tweet at 11 o’clock last Saturday night. Geraghty shared his humility and greatness with AP Mccoy and Ruby Walsh and, now, not one of the great riding triumvirate of modern National Hunt racing is in the saddle. Instead, they will all be in front of a TV camera with a microphone in hand or on lapel. It’s sad for the sport but, after the injuries sustained and the pleasure given to the punters, each of them deserves the pundit’s cushy life.

SPECIAL FEELINGS Mourinho has been up to all his old tricks after successive wins for Tottenham this week