Jose Drops Bombshell That May Never Be Exploded

[Dorset]

"In three or four points, I can say everything I can say, so I won't waste time with the questions you will ask me. We stick with four quick points because I will just say this whatever you asked. The first is to congratulate my players. They did everything they could, playing from the first minute to the last seconds, and deserved that. Sometimes we praise the players when we win. I think it's fair to praise my players after the defeat. 

 

Secondly, congratulations to Sunderland. It doesn't matter how, why or in which way they won, they won. They won three fantastic points. I think it's also fair to congratulate them. Third point, I want to congratulate again Mike Dean. I think his performance was unbelievable and I think when referees have unbelievable performances, I think it's fair that as managers we give them praise. So, fantastic performance. He came here with one objective. To make a fantastic performance. And he did that. 

 

And, fourth, congratulations also to Mike Riley, the referees' boss. What they are doing through the whole season is fantastic, especially in the last couple of months, and in teams involved in the title race. Absolutely fantastic. I also congratulate Mr Riley."

 

Jose Mourinho, April 19th, 2014

 

Quick points they may be, but Jose delivered them to an expectant Media much in the same way as a zookeeper lobs chunks of meat to a hungry pack of lions. Four of them in fact, the first after due explanation of expediency and the rest, like a Joan Armatrading lyric, ‘once more with feeling’, until they were all gone, greedily devoured, the third and fourth to be regurgitated in disgust in every newspaper the following day. Yet why so picky? What turned their stomachs by the end of this four-bean feast that didn’t seem to affect them at the start? After all, as tasty morsels go, they all seemed pleasant enough; the service was good - up to the usual high density honesty level for Mou - and no more than every scribe or pundit would have enthusistically encouraged out of the Mind Games Maitre D’, had he not offered up a potted version voluntarily. So what, exactly, was there not to like about this particular plateful of food for thought?

 

Well, analysing these four points a little more forensically than the so-called experts and messenger boys will do for starters, my chosen method being a straightforward one-by-one dissection, beginning with “The first is to congratulate my players. They did everything they could, playing from the first minute to the last seconds, and deserved that. Sometimes we praise the players when we win. I think it's fair to praise my players after the defeat.†My assessment of  this opening gambit is that it is a setting out of ground rules for what’s to come - my players lost, they did all they could, but had to take it on the chin. Win or lose, they deserved Jose’s praise and not a hint of sarcasm anywhere. The same goes for the second point as well, “… congratulations to Sunderland. It doesn't matter how, why or in which way they won, they won. They won three fantastic points. I think it's also fair to congratulate them.†No sarcasm, indeed who could possibly think otherwise?â€

 

Yet as soon as the third titbit gets thrown out for the scavengers - “I want to congratulate again Mike Dean. I think his performance was unbelievable and I think when referees have unbelievable performances, I think it's fair that as managers we give them praise. So, fantastic performance. He came here with one objective. To make a fantastic performance. And he did that.†- suddenly the sarcasm is deemed to flow from Jose’s lips and there is a universal cry of ’foul’ against officialdom from those who purport to ’know these things’. Glenn Hoddle was seen to smile [by me at least] immediately after Jose uttered these words and later said that he thought they were made ’tongue in cheek’, while Jamie Redknapp described them [along with point four] as ’embarrassing’, for whom or for what reason, never being made quite clear by this clotheshorse communicator.

 

I suppose the last morsel, namely, â€â€¦congratulations also to Mike Riley, the referees' boss. What they are doing through the whole season is fantastic, especially in the last couple of months, and in teams involved in the title race. Absolutely fantastic. I also congratulate Mr Riley." might best be described as the ’bombe surprise’, the piece de resistance that everyone remembers long after the event. And naturally enough, the best way to deal with this type of bomb is defuse it as quickly as you can, ideally in a bucket of coldwater criticism that needs no explanation in media circles, due to urgent recognition of the need to submerge, cover-up, conceal… call it what you will (maybe even sarcasm) before someone on the studio floor thinks too deeply about meaning and says something like ‘oh yeh, he‘s got that about right!’ by mistake. Instead, ‘hurry, hide it quick’ is the TV director’s cry, rather this than have someone running around screaming “It’s a REAL bomb, it’s a REAL bomb!â€, especially when it might be just a false alarm, the equivalent perhaps of your referee never actually coming from the Wirral, or your linesman not currently working for Liverpool City Council, or never playing for Liverpool, with neither afraid to admit to no kind of allegiance or conflict of interest whatsoever.

 

For this, Shed Enders, is very much the real point. Never mind Jose’s four, the nub of this matter is the Media’s immediate condemnation of Jose’s words and the sarcasm they interpreted as being ’laced’ through each and every point made. All this tells us is that they didn’t take the time or make the effort to even listen to the first two properly and they couldn’t wait to rubbish the second two on grounds of sarcasm that HAD to be present as far as they were concerned, because they all knew Mike Dean’s performance could only be described as ‘unbelievable’ if you meant the word in a derogatory sense. In short, if he’d had an unbelievably good game, they would all be nodding their heads in agreement!

 

And in truth, for that is what Jose was trying to get over to the general public, you can only interpret his words as you think fit, in the light of what you have witnessed and what you know to be the situation surrounding one crucial game in our Premiership season. The facts and stats are there for all to see, evidence to bring to this particular table should the FA or Premier League ever want to delve more deeply into what has been said in this interview. Because Jose, by congratulating Mike Riley in this way, has threatened to cut some sort of wire and, as a direct result, the bomb squad may end up being called out. In short, if sarcasm is recognised in Dean’s case, how come it isn’t easier to notice it in Riley’s and, after the double whammy, some action taken to protect the PGMOB‘s integrity? 

 

Of course, those who have always advocated post match explanations from referees wont hold their breath in these circumstance either. But, if it happens, I look forward to seeing just how far under the inquiry microscope this extraordinary season of Premiership results and refereeing decisions is likely to be shoved. As Jamie Redknapp says, ‘It’s embarrassing’.

 

[dkw]

Good read as usual. Apparently Jose's so pissed off with Riley because he asked for a meeting over refereeing decisions and riley refused, yet he has met with Liverpool, man utd and spoken to Martinez already thus season. So why not José?

[onetouch]

Good read. I'm used to Liverpool being the media darlings of the league and Chelsea being the villains. Almost every opinion based article I read has some derogatory spin on it, when we hadn't done much 'wrong' lately I found this article titled 'Meet Andreas Christensen, the 18-year-old Chelsea defender earning a fortune who has never played for the first team... and is a long way off joining Jose's ranks'. Because the author clearly has insight into the mind of Jose and our youth system. Indeed it seems Chelsea is everyone's favourite premier league villain.

 

Jose makes the journalists jobs easier and more interesting with his sound bites but they never repay the kindness. I half wish he would just avoid them where possible and give vague and dull interviews where he has to, then speak forthright on Chelsea TV and the website.

[Izanagi]

Indeed it seems Chelsea is everyone's favourite premier league villain.

In that case we should start acting like it and not act the part of the victim. If the media wants a villainous side that shatters others dreams and isn't afraid to kick five shades of sh*t out of their darlings (Liverpool) then I say we take up the mantle. Granted, doing sh*t that Ramires did the other day is out of order. I just want us to be the ruthless motherf**kers that everyone perceives us to be, but that's not what we are at the moment.

[Backbiter]

Poll has written his weekly column having a go at us:

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2608840/Immature-Jose-Mourinho-learn-lose-Mike-Dean-correct-award-Sunderland-penalty-FA-punish-Rui-Faria-disgraceful-behaviour.html

 

He starts off by saying it was a penalty and then says it's not possible to say if it was or not.

The more times I look at the replay the harder I find it to state unequivocally what the correct decision should be.

 

 

He calls for a ban for Ramires and criticises JM for his comments, and Faria for his outburst.

 

Fair enough.

 

And yet he cannot bring himself to comment on whether Larsen should have been sent off for his barge on Ramires. And he totally ignores Dean's failure to punish Johnson for his studs-in-the-ribs challenge on Azpi. Both were clear red cards and Dean didn't deal with either. The decisive penalty decision was only one issue on Saturday.

 

I am appalled at the failure of the media to actually look at the incidents that prompted Faria to lose it and made José say what he said. And to look at his motivation for his sarcastic praise for Riley.

 

Will football journalists start doing their job properly? Please?

[mactheknife]

In that case we should start acting like it and not act the part of the victim. If the media wants a villainous side that shatters others dreams and isn't afraid to kick five shades of sh*t out of their darlings (Liverpool) then I say we take up the mantle. Granted, doing sh*t that Ramires did the other day is out of order. I just want us to be the ruthless motherf**kers that everyone perceives us to be, but that's not what we are at the moment.

This exactly what I think.

Since Roman came in, we've been painted as the bad boys of the premier league. If that's our identity, well let's embrace it. We did this successfully before but recent signings have suggested we've been trying to move away from this image.

Now there is a fine line, something Ramires crossed on Saturday. But I really think we should look to walk on the line more.

I want us to be the team that the opposition see and think 'not these guys- they're technically great, better than us physically and better than us mentally.

We definitely need more players on the pitch who wind people up. John Terry is the only one, but we need somebody up front that everybody hates. With the daly brothers leading the line at Liverpool, we need to get a nasty bit of work up front to match them. The crown goes to you Mr. Costs.

[boom]

Poll has written his weekly column having a go at us:

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2608840/Immature-Jose-Mourinho-learn-lose-Mike-Dean-correct-award-Sunderland-penalty-FA-punish-Rui-Faria-disgraceful-behaviour.html

 

He starts off by saying it was a penalty and then says it's not possible to say if it was or not.

 

He calls for a ban for Ramires and criticises JM for his comments, and Faria for his outburst.

 

Fair enough.

 

And yet he cannot bring himself to comment on whether Larsen should have been sent off for his barge on Ramires. And he totally ignores Dean's failure to punish Johnson for his studs-in-the-ribs challenge on Azpi. Both were clear red cards and Dean didn't deal with either. The decisive penalty decision was only one issue on Saturday.

 

I am appalled at the failure of the media to actually look at the incidents that prompted Faria to lose it and made José say what he said. And to look at his motivation for his sarcastic praise for Riley.

 

Will football journalists start doing their job properly? Please?

The media after the game, later in MOTD and subsequent match reports have all failed to mention how the Larson challenge on ramires and foul given against matic (denying us a goal) were almost identical.

[Steve H]

 

 

Will football journalists start doing their job properly? Please?

 

 

Unlikely tbh. Imho they're like any other journo, they'll just write whatever old crap they think more of the public wants to hear/read. Truth or any semblance of investigative journalism has looooong since stopped having anything to do with it. 

[robdog]

Will football journalists start doing their job properly? Please?

 

It's fair to say that the journalist in England do have an agenda & it's geared in a way to support the dirty red scousers. From my view on this side on the pond one could clearly see this when JT was the England Captain & how the journos successfully took him down so Stevie G could be Captain of England. They came up w/ reports of JT's Dad supplying coke. They came up w/ stories of JT's Mom shoplifting. Then there was the JT & Vanessa Perroncel event, where they came up w/ all kind of crap. So assisting the dirty red scousers for a league title during the 25th anniversary of Hillsborough is justice in their eyes. All I can hope for is if CFC can silence these mugs next weekend. I really hope so, cause I can't watch footie here in the States w/ all of this love for the dirty red scousers. Ok there is some stories about the manure fiasco this season as well, but it's all phucking red on TV here & I hate it.

[jack_super_class]

The media after the game, later in MOTD and subsequent match reports have all failed to mention how the Larson challenge on ramires and foul given against matic (denying us a goal) were almost identical.

 

Thats because they need to leave plenty of time to talk about Liverpool, the title challenge and then Liverpool.

[MJB]

Dorset- smashed it as per

We have got to do what we do best and dig In now. Go there and turn these Scallies over and see where it takes us. Will they want to go to palace needing 3 points? I don't think they will at the minute. But let's at least put them In that position. I'd also remind everyone that our record of the back of CL is second to none.

As for the media .......... Where to begin. I can't even pick a paper up these days without getting extremely angry.

[MJB]

Thats because they need to leave plenty of time to talk about Liverpool, the title challenge and then Liverpool.

Jack. You forgot Liverpool

[ColeMan]

Unlikely tbh. Imho they're like any other journo, they'll just write whatever old crap they think more of the public wants to hear/read. Truth or any semblance of investigative journalism has looooong since stopped having anything to do with it. 

plus, when they quote, they usually only take snippets, which are taken out of context so they can spin things any way they like, just like the gutter press they are

[AsianBoy]

not gonna lie, but I like the 'us versus the world' feeling .

[Teritus]

^Jose definitely relishes it.

[middleweight]

If we were to win the league this year it would be so much sweeter than being 10pts clear now, ive not given up yet

[Montana Fan]

I thought Jose's comments were brilliant. He said what he wanted to say; basically that we played well, congrats to Sunderland, the officials were unbelievably sh*t, and the media is a joke; without actually saying it and stirring up a ton of controversy. If he had taken questions, he would've got a bunch of crap like: did you think Schwarzer was at fault for their goal, do you think the referees affected the outcome, what was the deal with Faria, do you think Ramires should have been sent off, etc. To answer these questions he could either be really diplomatic and full of cliched crap, or he could be honest and blow up the officials and criticize certain players and staff. Jose found a third way. He was full of cliched crap but in a way that got his frustrations with the officials and the media across without making it a big deal.

His short comments put this game to bed. We could be re-hashing decisions and individual errors for days. He could have given the media so much "grist for the mill." Jose cut all that off. Once again the focus of the media is largely on him and his comments, even though he didn't say anything, and the team is able to move on from the poor result.

[Liam Fitzpatrick]

Great read

[Drogba11CFC]

Poll has written his weekly column having a go at us:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2608840/Immature-Jose-Mourinho-learn-lose-Mike-Dean-correct-award-Sunderland-penalty-FA-punish-Rui-Faria-disgraceful-behaviour.html

He starts off by saying it was a penalty and then says it's not possible to say if it was or not.

He calls for a ban for Ramires and criticises JM for his comments, and Faria for his outburst.

Fair enough.

And yet he cannot bring himself to comment on whether Larsen should have been sent off for his barge on Ramires. And he totally ignores Dean's failure to punish Johnson for his studs-in-the-ribs challenge on Azpi. Both were clear red cards and Dean didn't deal with either. The decisive penalty decision was only one issue on Saturday.

I am appalled at the failure of the media to actually look at the incidents that prompted Faria to lose it and made José say what he said. And to look at his motivation for his sarcastic praise for Riley.

Will football journalists start doing their job properly? Please?

And that's before you take into account that the infuriating, pathetic and ridiculous Patrick Collins was sent to cover the match and took great pleasure in talking out of his arse.

[theblueone]

It's fair to say that the journalist in England do have an agenda & it's geared in a way to support the dirty red scousers. From my view on this side on the pond one could clearly see this when JT was the England Captain & how the journos successfully took him down so Stevie G could be Captain of England. They came up w/ reports of JT's Dad supplying coke. They came up w/ stories of JT's Mom shoplifting. Then there was the JT & Vanessa Perroncel event, where they came up w/ all kind of crap. So assisting the dirty red scousers for a league title during the 25th anniversary of Hillsborough is justice in their eyes. All I can hope for is if CFC can silence these mugs next weekend. I really hope so, cause I can't watch footie here in the States w/ all of this love for the dirty red scousers. Ok there is some stories about the manure fiasco this season as well, but it's all phucking red on TV here & I hate it.

Absolutely everything in this post is completely spot on and I cannot offer argument for any of the points. Gerrard is a self centred little turd and I would love it if us or City denied him that precious Prem winners medal. The prick is only on the goalscorers list for the season because he was gifted so many spot kicks. The fact that he nearly became the first player to score a hat trick of pens in a league match goes to show how abnormal those decisions were.

To get back on topic, I absolutely loved it when I heard Jose's interview after the match. He pretty much stated everything I was thinking in a nutshell with regards to the officials.

Luckily, I think Jose played it perfectly insofar as that he didn't offer enough rope for the FA to hang him with. He was extremely vague and very good with his wording to get the points across. A tactical masterstroke and a huge middle finger extended to Riley and Dean (and very well deserved too, the pair of tossers).

I find it difficult to be mad at Sunderland as a team or Poyet for that matter as he was incredibly respectful about it and didn't gloat like some managers would. A graceful winner. But the player who played up for the pen when he slipped up should be ashamed of himself.

[robdog]

Luckily, I think Jose played it perfectly insofar as that he didn't offer enough rope for the FA to hang him with. He was extremely vague and very good with his wording to get the points across. A tactical masterstroke and a huge middle finger extended to Riley and Dean (and very well deserved too, the pair of tossers).

 

from what I have read/heard people are upset @ Jose. I am still wondering why. All he did was praise Sland & the refs. Was he suppose to criticize them or his own players?

[moi]

from what I have read/heard people are upset @ Jose. I am still wondering why. All he did was praise Sland & the refs. Was he suppose to criticize them or his own players?

 

 

I think some of his "praise" was strongly laced  with sarcasm!  Well deserved sarcasm!

[robdog]

I think some of his "praise" was strongly laced  with sarcasm!  Well deserved sarcasm!

 

well people are calling Jose a sore loser because of it. I can't see why. He didn't criticize anyone.

[moi]

well people are calling Jose a sore loser because of it. I can't see why. He didn't criticize anyone.

 

 

People are being bloody stupid!  He was really criticising the ref , and Riley for allowing Mike Dean to referee such a sensitive match.  But he had every right to do so, and he didn't do it in a whingy Liverpoolish way.  

 

Indeed I think he had every right to be a sore loser on this occasion. Losing on a level playing field is one thing, but losing with the dice stacked against you is something else. 

 

I think I've mixed metaphors there, but it;s the middle of the night and I can't sleep!

[soldiergirl84]

So this is our theme song, now? Kind of catchy. Now let's go smashing some skulls!