Real Madrid's new coach, Mourinho, was interviewed by Akinfenwa, discussing his experience at Tottenham Hotspur, his feelings about an undefeated season with Benfica but missing out on the championship, and the possibility of coaching a national team in the future, among other topics. This article is the first part of the exclusive interview.
Foreword
Hello everyone, I'm Adebayo Akinfenwa, and welcome back to the Beast Mode On podcast. I'm not going to beat around the bush today; I'm genuinely thrilled and incredibly excited because today's guest is on another level entirely. Champions League winner, league champion in multiple countries, coached the greatest clubs in football history, and managed some of the most charismatic players in football history. This person isn't just coaching clubs; he's shaping an era. Now he's back at Real Madrid. Everyone knows I'm called "the Beast," and this man is "the Special One." Let's welcome Mr. Jose Mourinho to Beast Mode On.
Mourinho: You're interesting, but not easy to deal with on the pitch.
I know, I know, we'll talk about that later. Before we officially start, we have a tradition on this show: to pay tribute to our guests. Simply put, the essence of this show is to express recognition and respect. We've collected some messages from fans of clubs you've coached; they want to express their love and support for you, and to tell you how much of an impact you've had on them. So please watch a video first.
Fan message: Jose, just want to say thank you for everything you've done for the club. We'll always love you, and you'll always be "the Special One."
Fan message: Coach, thank you for your trust. We'll never forget that moment in Tirana. Wish you all the best on your new journey in Madrid, coach.
Fan message: Jose Mourinho, la la la la la. Come on, Chelsea and Roma.
Fan message: Jose Mourinho, oh my god, he's the main character, "the Special One." Thank you for the Europa League title in 2017. We haven't been able to do it since, which makes that title even more precious. Wish you all the best at Real Madrid, I believe you will bring important trophies back to the Bernabeu again. Good luck.
Fan message: Yes, Jose, I'm a big fan of yours. It's a shame how things ended at Tottenham Hotspur, but we'll always remember that time.
Fan message: Mourinho, welcome back to Real Madrid. I'm so excited about your return. I know with you, you're the chosen one. You'll win us trophies again, and we'll become the best club in the world again. Ignore the doubters, Hala Madrid.
Mourinho: Let me say something first.
Go ahead.
Mourinho: My experience at Tottenham Hotspur happened during COVID, so there was basically no contact with the fans. I actually really enjoy that connection with the fans and love the fans of the teams I manage; it's easy to integrate with them.
Speaking of Tottenham Hotspur, the only thing that stands out to me was that game at West Ham before COVID, and after that, everything was behind closed doors. You know, that's the only club where I missed that kind of connection with the fans.
Akinfenwa: That's interesting, because many people don't know that I've actually crossed paths with you. I played against your teams twice. The first time was when you were coaching Chelsea, it was a pre-season match. We were playing against your Chelsea, and we were leading 2-0 at first. I remember in the second half, John Terry said in the back that you wouldn't lose that game. At halftime, you came in and said, "I don't care if this is a pre-season game." And then you came back to win 3-2. I remember that was my first direct interaction with you, and I thought, "This is Jose."
Akinfenwa: The second time was when you were coaching Tottenham Hotspur, and you came to Adams Park. I'd like to say personally that you told me, "Big man, keep doing what you're doing, I wish you all the best, I admire you." As a player, like I just said, you're a top figure, and that really... I mean it from the bottom of my heart, it meant a lot to me, and I'm very grateful. We were leading 1-0 in that game, and I was thinking, "We're going to win." I thought we could beat you. But in the end, you won 5-1. That was also during COVID. Like you said, that sense of disconnection was definitely there, and playing during that time wasn't good because there were no fans, and that interaction and connection were missing. But I just wanted to tell you, that's how we first met.
Let's talk about that Benfica season. Because I look at this from a player's perspective. You went the entire season undefeated, but still just missed out on the league title. As a player, if it were me, I'd think: we didn't lose all season, but in the end, we couldn't cross the finish line, couldn't win the championship. So as a coach, what does it feel like to complete an undefeated season, yet still have the regret of not winning the championship?
If you want a funny answer, and a slightly arrogant answer, I would say this: I have 8 league titles, but I've never had an undefeated season. So this one, you can consider it the 9th. It's not a title, but it feels good. This feeling dilutes the regret of not winning the title.
You'll understand that feeling. Fans in Portugal, Spain, and Italy are very... we are Latin, very emotional. In this situation, as professionals, we have to respect them, respect their feelings. Not losing all season, and scoring at the last moment, this goal brings a draw and also maintains your undefeated record, which is what fans love to see and is a form of respect for them.
I wasn't coaching the team from the beginning of the season; I took over after a few games had already been played. So we never reached the top of the league table. We had a pretty good season. But that Porto team, even though they lost a few games, they kept winning and winning and winning, and we were winning too. Once there was a draw, the gap would widen, and we ultimately couldn't catch up to them. However, the feeling of being undefeated is indeed very good. Arsenal's invincible season is certainly the benchmark in this regard, but the feeling itself is already very nice.
Akinfenwa: I want to ask, you've coached many different league teams. In your opinion, what's the biggest challenge in coaching?
Mourinho: For me, the biggest challenge is adapting to a new country, a new culture, and everything new, even including the language. For example, in Turkey, that made it difficult for me to be completely myself. Because I only learned some simple words and couldn't communicate deeply with the outside world and the fans, nor could I express myself in the way I'm used to. However, these experiences have greatly enriched my career. I've coached in Spain, Italy, England, Portugal, Turkey, constantly moving forward in different environments. I must say, this has made me a more diverse person, with a broader perspective, and has made me a different kind of coach.
Akinfenwa: Jose, I want to ask you this question. Football has its highs and lows, especially the emotions from the fans, right? How do you deal with these emotions?
Mourinho: Actually, there's no time to deal with them.
Akinfenwa: No?
Mourinho: Because I talked to a former player who is now also a coach. After a game, if you're a player, you have time to enjoy the victory or to reflect and analyze what went wrong. But as a coach, as soon as the game ends and you're on the bus, you're already thinking about the next game.
So when I win, I don't have time to enjoy that peak feeling; when I lose, I don't have time to dwell in the low. That coach even asked me, "I've only been doing this for two years, and it's so hard, how have you kept it up for so many years?" The answer is — love, passion.
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