The Special One is now the Happy One as Jose Mourinho entertained the English media in his first press conference as Chelsea manager.
“I’m the happy one,” Mou told a packed news conference at Stamford Bridge. “Time flies. It looks like it was a couple of days ago, but it was nine years ago and since then lots of things have happened in my professional life.
“But I have the same nature. I’m the same person. I have the same heart. I have the same kind of emotions related to my passion for football and my job, but of course I am a different person.
“If I have to describe myself, I would describe myself as a very happy person because it’s the first time I arrive at a club where I already love the club.”
This was a more chilled, humble, respectful and happy Mourinho than we saw in Spain the last three seasons. Whether that will continue when the pressure of the games start, we will have to wait and see.
Mourinho touched on a wide variety of subjects and here are some of his quotes:
Asked if we was disappointed not to be offered jobs at Man Utd & Man City? Mourinho responded
“No. I’m where I want to be. I wouldn’t change it for anything.”
On Iniesta comments that he damaged Spanish football
‘I damaged Spanish football by being the manager who broke Barcelona’s dominance.”
On the n fall-out with and dropping of Iker Casillas
“Simply a pure football decision. I played the players I think were best for the team”
Mourinho on Fergie
“I’m disappointed that I’m back and I’ll go to Old Trafford and Sir Alex won’t be there.”
For all the talk of the Fergie coaching tree, three ex-Mourinho assistants, (Steve Clark, AVB and Brendan Rodgers) will be coaching in the Premier League next season. That is a impressive number and sums up the quality of a coach that Mourinho is.
The 2013-14 Premier League schedule comes out in just over a week. The new season cannot come soon enough.