I’m Now More Mature At United – Jose Mourinho

I’m Now More Mature At United – Jose Mourinho

Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho says  a new-found maturity and control of his emotions has made him a better manager, and he no longer obsesses over results as he did earlier in his career.

Mourinho – who has been in trouble with the Football Association on several occasions already this season, following incidents that took place in games against West Ham, Liverpool and Burnley – said he remains as ambitious as ever in his pursuit of success, but he is now able transmit calm to his squad.

“Mourinho the man tries to be the opposite of what the manager is,” he has told France Football. “He tries to be discreet, calm. Find a way to disconnect.

“I can go home and not watch a football game, not think about football. I can do it. At the beginning of my career, I could not. I was constantly connected, 24 hours a day. I had to find a form of maturity.

“Today, I feel good with my personality as a man. I have matured, I am more peaceful. A victory no longer represents the moon, and a defeat hell.

“I believe that I am able to transmit this serenity to those who work with me, to my players. I have the same ambitions as before. The same involvement, the same professionalism, but I’m more in control of my emotions.”

Mourinho does not believe he will be able to return United to the dominant success they enjoyed under Sir Alex Ferguson – when they won 13 Premier League titles in 21 seasons – saying that there are too many competitive teams for one club to have sustained success like in other countries.

“In England, clubs are so economically powerful that the market is open to all,” he added. “Take the example of Bayern in Germany. You know how they win the title every year? The summer before, they buy the best player of Borussia Dortmund.  (Mario) Gotze, then (Robert) Lewandowski the following year, then (Mats) Hummels last year.

“Me, I arrive at a club that has a great and prestigious history, but which can no longer do what it has been doing in the same way. No club in England, be it Manchester United, Liverpool, Manchester City, can now dominate permanently. Power has been divided. Everything is more difficult: buying, winning, building.”