FAWLTY POWER
Mourinho defends living in hotel while manager at United
IF you’re looking for someone to win you trophies, then Jose Mourinho’s your man. But if you’re looking for someone to whip up an omelette, look elsewhere.
Holding court at yesterday’s media briefing at Tottenham’s enfield training centre, Mourinho mulled over his time in Manchester ahead of his first return to old Trafford tonight — and more pertinently why he spent the duration of his stay lodged in the Lowry Hotel.
It was suggested to Mourinho, whose family remained in London, that his decision not to lay down any roots may have indicated he wasn’t particularly happy in Manchester.
But it turns out it was entirely necessary. ‘Is it strange (that I stayed in a hotel)?’ he asked. ‘you know how I would be unhappy? I would be unhappy if I was in a house on my own.
‘I would have to clean, I don’t want to. I would have to iron, I don’t know how to. I have to cook, I would cook fried eggs and sausages — that’s the only thing I can do.
‘I would be very unhappy. I lived in an amazing apartment, it was not a room. It was mine all the time. It was not like after one week I had to leave.
‘No, it was mine. I left everything there, I had my television, my books, my computer. It was a flat, but with “bring me a coffee latte, please,” or “I don’t want to go down for dinner, bring my dinner up”. I had everything.
‘If I was in an apartment alone it would be more difficult. I was fine, more than fine.’
Indeed, Mourinho, despite his sacking last year, reflects on his time in Manchester with much fondness. Two framed photographs of his time at united take pride of place in his new office.
‘one is with the europa League and my son in Stockholm and one with the Carabao Cup when you get the cup at the top of Wembley,’ he revealed.
And Spurs have inherited a ‘better’ manager thanks to his time at united.
‘It was good because I managed to win something, some nice things and do some nice things. on the opposite side, I learned and I think I’m a better coach now.
‘With me it’s about the fans but also about the people that I worked with. The fact I can get on my phone and speak with richard Arnold, the fact ed Woodward can call me to wish me good luck. The fact the kitchen man, chef, calls me to ask me how I am. This kind of thing, I had it at every club and that for me is the best thing.’
Mourinho’s successor, meanwhile, insists he isn’t worried about suffering the same fate as the Portuguese, despite the recent spate of Premier League sackings.
The pressure is building on ole Gunnar Solskjaer again with united in mid-table having managed only four league wins this season.
Former Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino — one of three recent top-flight managerial casualties along with Arsenal’s unai emery and Quique Sanchez Flores of Watford — is ready to return to work and would be the leading contender if united decided to make a change.
Asked if he was worried about his job now sacking season is in full swing, Solskjaer said: ‘No, it doesn’t make me more concerned.
‘It’s that time of year and it’s never nice to see colleagues lose their jobs. But I think everyone knows continuity is one of the keys of success.
‘Some clubs have more patience than others, some clubs don’t have that time and continuity.
‘For me, with united, we have a plan in place and hopefully we can get the results to speed it up. Sometimes it doesn’t go at the speed you want to but it’s still going in the right direction.
‘We (Solskjaer and united chief ed Woodward) speak all the time so it’s not knee-jerk and suddenly now we need to talk.
‘I just know I have a set of values and beliefs. The club have values and beliefs and we have made these decisions together.
‘results will change moods but the mood behind the scenes is positive. I feel we’re going to stick to the plan we’ve put together.’