English Premier League side, Tottenham Hotspur’smanager, Jose Mourinho has revealed the secret behind his success story at the prestigious UEFA Champions League tournament with Porto and Inter Milan.
Mourinho, fondly called ‘The Special One’ who is arguably one of the best manager in the world with success in Portugal with Porto, in Italy with Inter Milan, in Spain with Real Madrid and England with Chelsea and Manchester United, said he did not feel he would be a success at the clubs without an African striker.
“My success is always based on having an African striker. Without an African Striker I feel like I won’t succeed,” Mourinho said.
Explaining further, Mourinho said his many experience with striker of Africa root had made him to arrived at that conclusion.
“My belief about African strikers started with Benni Mccarthy at FC Porto whereby he scored more than 20 league goals to help the FC Porto to win the Portuguese League Title .
“In that same season, he scored very important goals for me in the UEFA Champions League that helped my careers to be well known in Europe by winning my first Champions League as a coach. From Portugal to Chelsea in England, I find Didier Drogba. He was a great African weapon to win with me an English Premiership, ” Mourinho said.
Speaking further, Mourinho said, ” From Chelsea to Inter Milan, there I wanted to win the UEFA Champions League again so badly. But I only had two Ghanaian midfielders and that was not enough for me to win Champions League and I was dominating the league only.
“So I sat down and thought hard about having an African Striker again. I approached FC Barcelona and they willingly sold to me the best signing of my career Samuel E’too and the same season with Eto’o I won Champions League.
“From Inter Milan to Real Madrid. There at Real Madrid I had all talents but the reason I didn’t win the Champions League is because I had no African striker. I tried Emmanuel Adebayour but it was a loan move so Madrid does not like to use loaned players,” he added.
Speaking on his failed English Premier League return with Manchester United, Mourinho said the belief of the Old Trafford management in the non usage of African players affected his chance of success with the club.
“At Manchester United, they don’t believe much in African strikers, no wonder I didn’t enjoy much success there. Some strikes gives you league titles but African strikers gives you Champions League Titles,” he concluded.
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