Jose Mourinho was never short of things to say. Six press conferences in one week, however, test even their limits.
The Real Madrid manager appeared ahead of Tuesday’s La Liga clash with Elche where he was in vintage form.
“I would like to win, I would like to play well and win, nothing else,” he said. “I hope that in three months we will be better than today, but I have nothing magical to say that in three months we will be at an incredible level. In every game and training, the aim is always to improve.
“The more time a coach has to work with a team, the more likely it is to be stronger.”
Asked about Real Madrid’s high-pressing approach, Mourinho added: “I don’t think it’s possible to press high for 90 minutes. I don’t think so, and it’s not our profile, nor are there many teams in the world capable of doing that for 90 minutes.
“If you ask me if I like a low block, I don’t like it. But what I don’t want are contradictions between what I like most and the qualities of my players. For me, that’s that ability to press high, that ability to kill in three or four seconds of transition.”
“But I also don’t want to suffer in the sense that when we are deep, the opponent takes two or three shots that force the goalkeeper to make great saves and hold three, four or five corners.”
Diomande’s lack of starts and the tiredness of the press conference
Mourinho was typically forceful in defending the squad rotation he has kept in place with summer signing Yan Diomande on the bench for most of the season so far.
“He’s not missing out on anything. If he was in another team with fewer high-potential players instead of being at Madrid with this squad, he’d probably be a starter playing 90 minutes every game.
“But when I say this about Diomande, I say it about everyone. A coach who only focuses on 10 players and forgets about the rest runs out of fuel in the engine during the season and also loses motivation and internal competitiveness. This idea of an undisputed starter, as you all like to use that term, is difficult.”
And finally, the quote of the day, delivered in true Mourinho fashion.
“Six press conferences in one week. In other countries, I was allowed to skip one. But six press conferences in one week: I’m tired of you, and you’re tired of me.”
“I always say the same thing and you don’t have any more questions to ask me, but we’re here because it’s our job, mine and yours. If you tell me next week we can skip one of these six, I’ll bring some snacks over here and we’ll have fun.”
