Bottled up Jose lashes out
United boss Mourinho takes his emotions out on drink bottles after late winner against Young Boys
Jose Mourinho once again stole the show from his players, smashing drinks crates to the ground after Marouane Fellaini's late winner took Manchester United into the Champions League knockout stages yesterday morning (Singapore time), eliciting headlines such as "Bottle of Red".
The volatile 55-year-old Portuguese - whose mood swings and barbed remarks about virtually all his players and the transfer policy of the board have cast a pall over the club this season - said the violence of his reaction was the product of several factors.
Fellaini's winner against Young Boys and Valencia's defeat by Juventus ensured the Red Devils' progress, though it is likely as runners-up, which will pit them against a group winner in the last 16.
"Relief," Mourinho said of his celebrations.
"Frustration before that and relief with the goal.
"We didn't play to be in trouble until the last minute, so frustration."
Along with his team, Mourinho has been consistently criticised this season, largely for United's turgid style of play.
The late victory might have toned down the headlines on the British sports pages yesterday, but they were still far from positive.
"Water Boy", "Smash & Grab" and the Sun's typically humorous play on words 'Water Load of Rubbish' would have greeted Mourinho this morning if he had cared to read the papers.
His exasperated reaction to Marcus Rashford's early miss in the clash with Young Boys prompted former England great turned TV host Gary Lineker to lay into him.
"If I saw my manager react like that, I would be absolutely livid!" opined Lineker.
However, Mourinho hit back in typically feisty fashion.
"Can myself, or another manager, have a reaction of frustration? I would invite that people to sit on the bench as managers.
"But I think maybe it's better to have lots of holidays in Barbados and go to the television screen and touch the electronic dummies...
"For some of my lovers, and those that like stats, I am 14 seasons in the Champions League and 14 times my teams have qualified through to the group stages.
"The season I was not in the Champions League, I won the Europa League."
When he was done lashing out, the United boss saved some time for praising goalkeeper David de Gea, who produced a superb save in the 70th minute.
"He is the best goalkeeper in the world. If our ambitions are to have the best in the world, we have to keep him," Mourinho said of the Spanish international, whose contract is due to expire at the end of the season.
"I know he wants to stay... and I also know the board want him to stay and they are working on that, so hopefully sooner or later, they reach a conclusion." - AFP, REUTERS
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