Five bombshells from Jose Mourinho documentary from Sir Alex tears to Abramovich feud
Jose Mourinho’s Netflix documentary MOURINHO drops on Tuesday but several bombshells have already emerged and here the Daily Star Sport looks at some the biggest talking points
Jose Mourinho’s documentary releases tomorrow(Image: Netflix)
Jose Mourinho’s eagerly anticipated Netflix documentary MOURINHO drops on Tuesday but several bombshell moments from the series have emerged.
‘The Special One’, 63, sits down for a documentary about his trophy laden rise to the top, where he made no shortage of enemies and controversial decisions along the way. The former Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham boss is the new manager of Real Madrid as he looks to guide the team full of Galactico superstars for the second time.
But if there’s one man who can make a squad full of egotistical individuals into a successful team it’s Mourinho, having won all there is to win with the biggest clubs around Europe. And his documentary shows the crazy sliding doors moments that helped write his football story. Here, the Daily Star Sport looks at five bombshells from Mourinho’s documentary.
United agreement
Jose Mourinho was set to replace Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United(Image: Getty Images)
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Mourinho became United manager in 2016, but the Portuguese could have taken the reins at Old Trafford sooner had he not backed out of an agreement to become Sir Alex Ferguson’s successor in 2013.
‘The Special One’ changed his mind and joined Chelsea for a second time instead after giving his word to the Blues. Speaking in the doc, Mourinho said: “When I left Real Madrid, I signed to go to Manchester United after Sir Alex.”
“He was offered the job, yes,” Ferguson confirmed. “I sat him down and explained the situation. As far as I was concerned, he was accepting. And then, within hours, it changed.
“One night, he phoned me and he was crying and he says, ‘Alex, I can’t take it. I’ve given my word to Chelsea and I’m not going to break my word.’ The reason he gave to me, I could understand, but I was disappointed.”
Mourinho said he was “very flattered” to be offered the job of replacing Ferguson “because Manchester United has an incredible appeal.
“But one thing is love for football, another thing is love for a certain club. I think this is more powerful than love for football and fundamentally, after Real Madrid, I needed to feel that I’m loved.
“For me to lose the chance to be the coach to succeed Sir Alex Ferguson was dramatic, but I don’t regret [it] because it was a decision that I made with my heart.”
Eva Carneiro apology
Jose Mourinho has refused to apologise to Eva Carneiro(Image: BPI)
Mourinho has avoided apologising to former Chelsea doctor Eva Carneiro after their infamous touchline spat in 2015. Carneiro and physio Jon Fearn rushed on to the pitch to treat a seemingly injured Eden Hazard during a 2-2 opening day draw against Swansea.
At the time, Mourinho called her ‘impulsive and naive’ in her decision to treat Hazard. She was then dropped from first-team duties and left the club just a month later. Mourinho and Chelsea eventually agreed a settlement after Carneiro took them to a tribunal over claims that she was discriminated against by the manager, and constructively dismissed by the club. Claiming Mourinho called her the ‘daughter of a wh***’ in his native Portuguese.
However, 11 years on, Mourinho believes he treated her no different than he would have done a male doctor in the same situation. “For me, a lady doctor is the same as a man’s doctor,” Mourinho said. “So, as always, I use my vocabulary when I’m not happy.
“There are words in moments where the tension is very, very high. Normally, people with football culture, with football DNA, with football background, they go over it in one second. In that case, it was different.”
Mourinho added he was furious with the decision to treat Hazard with Chelsea left with nine players on the pitch when the winger was forced to come off the pitch for a brief period after Thibaut Courtois had already been sent off.
He said: “I’m not a doctor, but my eyes know when a player is injured, and they know when a player is not injured. I knew that he was not injured, but the doctors went to the pitch, and in that moment we were left with nine players.”
Former captain John Terry said of the incident on the documentary: “Medically, he (Mourinho) would say unless it’s really, really bad, then they’re [the team doctors] not coming on. That was the understanding for us as players; the medical staff, everyone bought into that.
“It was a big moment obviously and he took a lot of backlash for that. There was a lot of heat on the football club.”
Chelsea and Carneiro agreed a settlement in a back corridor of a court and the Blues said they “regretted the circumstances” which led to the former club doctor leaving and “apologises unreservedly to her and her family for the distress caused”.
Meanwhile, Mourinho did not apologise, and there is no sign of one coming soon.
Original spygate
Chelsea won the 2004/05 Premier League title(Image: Richard Sellers/Getty Images)
Long before the circus surrounding Southampton and Tonda Eckert spying last season, Terry revealed that Mourinho was already in the controversial practice as he once managed to get hold of footage of a rival’s training session during his first season in charge.
Terry said: “I remember, we were due to play Bolton and up on the screen is Bolton’s training session from the day before. And Big Sam [Allardyce] was like ‘hit Gallas, he’s not very good in the air’ and he was like spitting on the mic.
“It was just like, wow. Who gets footage from someone’s training ground? I’m actually still not sure where he got the footage from.”
It’s unclear whether the video was from before the home or away fixture that season. If it was the Stamford Bridge clash, then the footage failed to yield results as Bolton held the Blues to a 2-2 draw. However, the away fixture saw Chelsea win 2-0.
Chelsea 2007 exit
John Terry and Frank Lampard were key to Mourinho’s Chelsea(Image: Getty Images)
Terry and Frank Lampard revealed just how deeply Mourinho’s first exit from the club in 2007 impacted the players. The Portuguese was sacked in September 2007 after his triumphant spell unravelled.
Lampard said: “I remember him coming into the dressing room and he said to me that he’d been sacked. I couldn’t think about how much this man had helped my career, how much I loved working with him. There were tears, which is not normal in the dressing room when a manager leaves.”
While Terry admitted he still blames himself for Mourinho’s departure. “I would leave that pitch in a coffin for him,” he said. “You’ve got grown men, tears running down their face, not really understanding why. And even still today I’m like, that’s my fault.
“When we drew the Champions League game [with Rosenborg], my man scored. If I didn’t let that person score, would he have lasted another couple of years? Who knows? I still feel kind of responsible for that, if that makes sense.
“It’s just disappointing how it all ended, if I’m honest. I absolutely loved him and adored him and was more upset than anyone, to be honest.”
Abramovich revenge mission
Mourinho and Roman Abramovich’s relationship fell apart(Image: Getty Images)
Mourinho revealed that his relationship with Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich had soured during their final days of his first tenure and he wanted revenge when he first returned to Stamford Bridge as manager of Inter Milan in the Champions League in 2010.
“Honestly, I was playing against Roman in that game,” Mourinho said. “I was not playing against Chelsea. I was not playing against the boys. I was playing against him.”
Inter won both legs and went on to win the Champions League and complete a historic treble in the process. “That game for me was beauty,” Mourinho continued. “I was playing against a guy that sacked me. It felt like pleasure.
“I go home happy and he goes upset, because I know how much he loves Chelsea, I know how much he loves to win. But I needed revenge. Because football belongs to people like me. The other ones are the intruders who don’t belong.
“Football belongs to the players, belongs to the coaches, belongs to the fans. Football will always belong to us.”
The downfall of Mourinho’s first stint at Stamford Bridge came at the same time he and Abramovich clashed over the Russian’s demands and meddling with the first team.
However, their relationship appeared to not be damaged beyond repair when Mourinho returned for a second time, but that resentment clearly remains after he left the Blues by mutual consent in December 2015.
