The Special One

Mourinho's words


"Please don't call me arrogant, but I'm European champion and I think I'm a special one." - Introducing himself to the English press after arriving from Porto in 2004.

“We have top players and, sorry if I’m arrogant, we have a top manager.” - With Chelsea.

“Everybody was waiting for Chelsea not to win every game and one day, when we lose, there will be a holiday in the country. But we are ready for that.” - With Chelsea.

Words of wisdom:

"It's like having a blanket that is too small for the bed. You pull the blanket up to keep your chest warm and your feet stick out. I cannot buy a bigger blanket because the supermarket is closed. But the blanket is made of cashmere!" - On the injury 'crisis' at Chelsea in February.

"Young players are a little bit like melons. Only when you open and taste the melon are you 100% sure that the melon is good." - On developing Chelsea's young stars.

"The style of how we play is very important. But it is omelettes and eggs. No eggs - no omelettes! It depends on the quality of the eggs. In the supermarket you have class one, two or class three eggs and some are more expensive than others and some give you better omelettes. So when the class one eggs are in Waitrose and you cannot go there, you have a problem." - What turned out to be his parting shot to Roman Abramovich.

"Maybe the guy drank red wine or beer with breakfast instead of milk." - After a Sheffield United fan threw a bottle at Frank Lampard during Chelsea's 2-0 win at Bramall Lane.

On other managers/teams:

"Three years without a Premiership title? I don't think I would still be in a job." - Putting the boot into Rafa Benitez.

"Many great managers have never won the Champions League - a big example is not far from us." - Reminding Wenger there's only room for one Special One in London.

“We were together in my office. He asked me, ‘What did you say to the press, young man?’ We laughed, we joked, we spoke, we drank and when we go to Old Trafford for the second leg on Jan 26, it is my birthday. I will bring a beautiful bottle of Portuguese wine for after the game. The wine we drank at Stamford Bridge was very bad. And he was complaining about it. He is a wonderful, great manager. I have a lot of respect for the big man. I call him ‘boss’ because he’s our [the other managers'] boss. He’s the top man, a really nice person and he deserves to be the boss. Maybe when I am 60 the kids will call me the same.” - on Sir Alex Ferguson.

“If they don’t touch me, I won’t touch anyone. If they touch me, I’ll be ready to hit back even harder” - on Ferguson and Wenger.

“I am more scared of bird flu than football. What is football compared with life? I have to buy some masks and stuff - maybe for my team as well.” - Speaking soon after H5N1 spread to Britain, and when Chelsea’s league lead over Manchester United had slipped to 7 points

“Who is Lo Monaco? I know of the Tibetan monk, the Principality of Monaco, Bayern Munich and the Monaco Grand Prix, but that's all." - on Lo Monaco, Catania's Sporting Director.

“I heard Zenga talk during the week and he seemed like he wanted to come here to win, but then he didn’t.” - On Catania's coach, Zenga.

“Ranieri was right, I do need to win things to be sure of what I am doing. That’s why I have won so many trophies in my career. By contrast he has the mentality that winning isn’t crucial and at nearly 70-years-old he has just won a Super Cup and other small tournaments. He is too old to change his mentality.” - On Ranieri, Juventus's manager.

“I have won 13 titles. It's clear that, for a trainer who has won nothing, a Italian Super Cup becomes a great trophy," - On Ranieri, Juventus's manager.

“Ranieri had been in England for five years and still struggled to say ‘good morning’ and ‘good afternoon.’ Who is he to tell me what to do? - On Ranieri, Juventus's manager after he said Mourinho “showed a lack of respect” for the media by sending assistant manager Beppe Baresi to the Press conference before and after the Lecce game.

“Nobody worried about the fact Lecce played against us with three goalkeepers and eight defenders, instead they only wanted to know why Baresi was at the Press conference instead of me.” - On the Lecce game.

“But there is also a club and a Coach that was 3-0 up in a Champions League Final and lost,” - On Ancelotti, AC Milan's coach.

“My history as a manager cannot be compared with Frank Rijkaard’s history. He has zero trophies and I have a lot of them…” - On Rijkaard, Barcelona's coach.

On "pressure”:

“There is no pressure at the top. The pressure’s being second or third”.

“If I wanted to have an easy job… I would have stayed at Porto - beautiful blue chair, the Uefa Champions League trophy, God, and after God, me.”

“Pressure? Pressure what? You cannot put pressure on me.” - When asked if Chelsea’s dip in form was due to the pressures of leading the Premiership.

“Pressure? There is no pressure. Bird Flu is pressure.(The Press Laugh) No, you laugh, but I am being serious. I am more worried about the swan then I am about football.”

“Pressure? What pressure? Pressure is poor people in the world trying to feed their families. There is no pressure in football” - speaking in a post-match interview.

“I am more scared of bird flu than football. What is football compared with life? I have to buy some masks and stuff - maybe for my team as well.” - Speaking soon after H5N1 spread to Britain, and when Chelsea’s league lead over Manchester United had slipped to 7 points.

“Pressure? Pressure what? Pressure is millions of parents around the world with no money to feed their children.” - On the pressure of winning a game after losing twice in a row. Various other public figures paraphrased this quote.

“For me…pressure is Bird Flu…I’m serious the Bird Flu in Scotland is bothering me more.” - Said during the week bird flu was discovered in Scotland and Manchester United close the gap at the top of the Premier League to 7 points - April 2006