Jose Mourinho wasn’t born with the gift of personable skills. He rarely laughs or even smiles and he rarely stretches his vocal cords outside monotone, which gives the ‘I’d rather be anywhere but here’ impression. No one can question his passion. His passion rivals any other manager; he just expresses it in a different way to the flailing arms of Klopp or the crowd surfing of Conte. Yet Jose, when talking about United, does so in a way you’d think he was discussing different types of vegetables and the pros and cons of each. Hardly enthusiastically, unless you’re a vegetable fanatic of course.
However, after United 5th League Cup win and record 42nd major trophy at Wembley on Sunday. Jose’s post-match press conference was something even I didn’t anticipate. His manor was no different to if we had drawn 0-0 at home to a struggling Premier League side… again. This was strange considering he had just won his first trophy at Manchester United, the club he had always wanted to manage. The journalists in the press conference noticed this abnormality of course and asked the bold question: “Why do you not look happy about the success?” The answer was simple; “I am very happy”, in the continued monotone voice and expressionless face. The way he then spoke for the next 30 seconds or so made every single United fan very excited, not about the League Cup despite being fresh in the mind, but about what’s to come.
“The reality is we want more… we have to fight for more.”
After winning a trophy moments earlier, Jose stated it was a relief and it is now deleted from his mind – offering a firm focus on the next trophy available to The Reds. This mentality is a champion’s mentality. Always wanting more, always looking to the next opportunity for major success. This is a Fergie mentality and that alone makes this exciting. Two-goal hero Zlatan Ibrahimović echoed what the Boss had said. Saying the same thing, “I want even more.” A characteristic United players held for years but hadn’t done post-Fergie. With Zlatan and Mourinho on this quest together, I wouldn’t like to be the ones to get in their way.
Roy Keane is another example of this way of thinking. The former United skipper still feels the 1998/99 treble winning season was a missed opportunity. “We should have won four trophies,” he says in as serious a tone as you would expect. “The League Cup was there for the taking.” This ‘champion attitude which Jose buys into will most certainly resonate with the fans and everyone at the club
Mourinho’s press conference meant that the best part of Sunday was not the EFL Cup victory, but rather the promise of more silverware to come at Old Trafford. With United still in the FA Cup and favourites for the Europa League. This is an exciting time for Manchester United and a journey every fan wants to follow Jose Mourinho on. The Boss is expectant, and so are we.