Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has issued a real scouring attack on the press during his pre-match press conference ahead of his sides Champions League game against Galatasaray in Istanbul.
Mourinho was angry at comments which were released by the press, which were considered private by Mourinho.
When asked about the question about his strikers, including Samuel Eto’o, which were considered private, Mourinho launched a verbal attack upon the written and broadcast press in Istanbul.
“I think you should be embarrassed as media professionals because by the ethical point of view I don’t think you are happy your colleague is happy to be able to record a private conversation and to make it public.
“I think you should all be embarrassed because it is against your ethic. Is it a not happy comment? Absolutely.”
The feisty Portuguese manager, who seemed clearly upset about the comments made by the press, went onto say.
“I am not defending what I am saying, I am attacking something that is from your professional area. That person showed what he is or what he does not know about the job.
“The comment is not a good one and not one I would do in a serious, official way. First of all because I don’t make fun, second if there are managers in the world that defend their players I am one of them.
“Third because Samuel Eto’o is Samuel Eto’o. Four times a Champions League winner. It was with him I had the best ever season of my career. It was a funny conversation between me and someone not in the football world. It is a disgrace someone is taping a private conversation.”
He then switched focus to his sides Champions League clash against Galatasaray, and stated that his side will employ an attacking sense of play against the Turkish giants.
“We are going to play to win. Galatasaray are strong. They have attacking players, special players. Even on the bench sometimes they have Umut Bulut and he is a very good and very dangerous striker. In between Bulut, Burak Yilmaz and Didier Drogba, they have lots of good goal scorers and we know that.
“We are trying to build a team for the future and the way to do that is not to play an attacking team one day and a defensive team another day, so we will play as we always do – trying to win the game.”
He also played down his sides chances of winning the competition, in another set of mind games.
“We are not favourites (to win the competition), obviously. But when a team reaches the quarter final, anything is possible. This round is a very important round because the teams who reach the quarter final can start having a little feeling.
“Chelsea won it when they were not the favourite, I won it twice when I was not favourite. I didn’t win when my team was one of the favourites.
“This competition has a bit of a space for a surprise. It is clear there are at least three, maybe four or five, that are by quality and experience obviously favourites.”
By Ben Reardon
@BenReardon1