Mourinho in ugly mood
Wednesday December 09 2009
JOSE MOURINHO has often been likened, not least by Alex Ferguson, to a young gunslinger riding into town without a care in the world.
On the eve of a match that could shape his Inter Milan future, he played up to that billing with a certain relish, swaggering into his press conference in a bulky body-warmer and facing down his inquisitors with a disdainful sneer, WRITES OLIVER BROWN.
On a pristine Alpine day at Inter's training base here, the Portuguese was in the ugliest mood. Nothing less than victory tonight at the San Siro over Champions League rivals Rubin Kazan, he did not need reminding, would guarantee the Nerazzurri's progress to the last 16.
Four straight titles, one of them under Mourinho's stewardship, are all very well, but in the eyes of owner Massimo Moratti, elimination at this stage would be unthinkable.
Sandro Mazzola, the revered 67-year-old alumnus of la grande Inter, the side that conquered Europe in 1964 and '65, ventured after last Saturday's Serie A loss at Juventus that the wrong result against Rubin could snap Moratti's patience and render the manager's position untenable. At that point any notion of respect for one of the club's elder statesmen flew straight of the window.
"What did Mazzola say?" Mourinho demanded. "Does Mazzola spend his money for Inter? What kind of role does he have?"
On the idea that losing to Rubin, with whom Inter are tied on points behind group leaders Barcelona, would have a direct bearing upon his survival in the job, he said: "I don't understand the question."
Reporters were the next to be showered with resentment, when one posed a question about the Juventus match that Mourinho deemed irrelevant, before another inquired as to his team selection tonight. "You are all good at it, let's see tomorrow what you write."
For the record, Mourinho will most likely have the luxury of fielding his strongest team, with Samuel Eto'o and the revived Wesley Sneijder leading the line. (© Daily Telegraph, London)
Irish Independent
