That was yesterday. Now we see only an embittered old gunslinger, forever firing pot-shots at his critics among the disenchanted supporters of Manchester United and the sceptics of the media.
He has delivered so many barbs. There wassarcasm in saying we were ‘Einsteins’, know-alls who actually knew nothing. There was irony in calling us ‘idealists’ for speaking in praise of the spectacular football ofManchester Cityas a contrast tothe pedestrian play of his United team.
There was disdain in dubbing us ‘stupid’ forbeing interested in various controversies of the season. And there was unbridled scorn during his infamous 12-minute rant the other day when we were condemned as ‘idiots’.
Other football managers have their moans, of course they do, but nobody is as relentlessly hostile towards the outside world as Mourinho. And nobody looks as rattled just now.
The turning point for so many fans of Manchester United was the craven performance by the team in the home defeat to Sevilla that saw the club knocked out of the Champions League in the round of 16.
Rarely, if ever, haveMan Unitedplayed withsuch lack of conviction and style in such a significant match. And everyone knows the tenor of their display was set by the safety-first, risk-averse strategy of Mourinho.
The response of the manager who used to have such swagger has been revealing. Mourinho has searched high and low for alibis that absolve him of the blame.
Pick and choose your favourites - that Manchester City have spent more money, that Mourinho inherited a horrible mess when he took over at United, that his players are scared and lack personality, that they don’t follow his tactics, that the crowd is too quiet, and that anyone who doesn’t understand this is bereft of intelligence.
The question is: Does he really think anyone is fooled by this truck load of arrant nonsense? Mourinho has been manager of Manchester United through three transfer windows, spending £300million on players and breaking the world transfer record.
He has had more than enough time and scope to acquire footballers with moral courage and the requisite personality for the Old Trafford stage. If they are still “scared to play,” then the manager has spent his money badly.
He contrasts what confronted him on arrival at United with the superior scenarioof Pep Guardiola across town at City. But what Mourinho never mentions is that his rival manager has transformed the style of City’s football in the same timeframe.
City had one season of transition under Guardiola - and they are now flying. United are still mired deep in their transition. Whose fault is that? As for the crowd being too quiet at Old Trafford? Well, all modern audiences are mocked for being a ‘library’ at times, and all managers know that the only way to generate noise is to provide action and entertainment.
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