Jose Mourinho has made comments towards other managers this week in regards to the Premier League’s restart – but again, he fails to show compassion.
Right when you think that Jose Mourinho has learned to be a bit more humble in his grey old age of 57 (seriously, how is he not older than that?), he says something that reminds us all of how absent-minded he can often be with his comments.
While I love Jose Mourinho’s press conferences and antics as much as the next football fan, he might have overstepped the line this time around, even if his words weren’t directly harmful.
The Premier League is planning on restarting the season next month, as they have to rake in the surplus TV money in order to keep clubs healthy. This decision has been met with mixed reactions, even from Premier League managers. The likes of Pep Guardiola, Frank Lampard, Nigel Pearson, and Graham Potter have raised their concerns about the restart, claiming it is too rushed, and that safety might still be at risk.
Jose Mourinho, who is on the other side of the argument, has criticized these managers, claiming that: “If you don’t want to play, stay home and watch the Bundesliga!”
Jose Mourinho: "I want to train, and I am desperate for the Premier League to return as soon as it is safe to do so, particularly now we are seeing other leagues preparing to return to action." ⌚ pic.twitter.com/X90NI1BXyV
— GOAL (@goal) May 14, 2020
Mourinho is adamant on playing, but what he has forgotten, is that one of his managerial counterparts who is a bit skeptical over the Premier League restart, actually lost his mother to COVID-19 – Pep Guardiola.
It makes sense that the Manchester City manager would be hesitant to start so quickly, having seen first-hand what this virus can do. While it’s unlikely that any player or staff would succumb to the virus themselves, they could very easily pass it onto someone who would. As long as this virus is still around and football is being played, that is a risk. Although, the later you start playing, the lower the risk.
For Jose Mourinho to make these comments criticizing managers who are uncomfortable, when Guardiola is still grieving for his mother, shows his lack of class once again. This is an area that Mourinho has always struggled in, and it’s clear things haven’t improved over time.
If I was Jose Mourinho, I would dial Pep Guardiola right away to apologize. While the Spurs manager might not have meant any harm, the fact that he disregarded such a serious situation for one of his colleagues is really poor form.