Mourinho blasts previous Roma owners: ‘I am not an ***hole’
Jose Mourinho held a combative press conference after Roma’s humiliating 6-1 defeat, accusing the previous administration of ‘laughing with pockets full of money’ and insisting he is ‘not an ***hole.’
It kicks off on Sunday at 17.00 UK time (16.00 GMT).
“We are having a positive campaign, with performances that are more positive than the results,” said Mou in this evening’s press conference.
“We have 15 Serie A points, we deserved more. It’s a difficult match, as Napoli won all eight and are in good shape.”
Surprisingly, the coach announced his starting XI for the game with 24 hours to spare.
“Nicolò Zaniolo and Rick Karsdorp are ready, we will start the same team that played against Juventus.”
The Giallorossi are still reeling after a shock 6-1 Europa Conference League loss in Norway to Bodo/Glimt and the aftermath, in which Mourinho openly declared he had ‘only 13 players’ and the rest were not at anywhere near the same level.
Mourinho seemed to aim his ire at previous Roma owner James Pallotta.
“There are many people who are laughing at what they did with Roma. The Friedkins and Tiago Pinto inherited a pile of **** from the previous owners and administration. The current owners spent a lot of money to clean up those many errors and try to create the conditions for a project that needs time. There are people out there who are laughing with their pockets full.
“When someone says Mourinho is not happy, it is a huge lie. Mourinho wants more players? Of course, like everyone does, he wants the players to rotate the squad and maintain balance.
“Mourinho wants players all on the same level? Yes, but Mourinho is not an ***hole and he has respect for the Friedkins and Tiago Pinto. Mourinho accepts the situation and understands.
“A result like the one against Bodo/Glimt happens once in a lifetime, but I am the only one responsible. Not the players, not Tiago. I decided to play a team that I knew would risk losing the game. I didn’t think it’d be as disastrous as this, but the responsibility remains mine.
“I did it out of fear of sustaining more injuries on a synthetic turf and because I don’t have two players for every position. So, I take the responsibility.”
The coach was asked if this Serie A showdown with Napoli could change the mood in the Capital.
“As far as I am concerned, even if we beat Napoli 6-1, it would not cancel out my errors. Next time we face Bodo, I will use the same old line-up, and if someone gets injured then that is a pity.
“Look, there’s no point denying it, we have suitable cover in some areas, not in others. We are building a team, but need more time, more money and more moves. The owners are putting in an incredible effort to achieve all that, so I have no problem with them. You’ll see tomorrow, the bench isn’t full of bad players, but they are very young.
“We work hard, but inherited an emotional scar and a record of injuries that I have never seen before in my life. One of the biggest things we need to work in is that we feel worried all the time. I decided to rest more players in Norway, it was a mistake, I am sorry.
“I prefer to lose one game 6-1 rather than six games by 1-0 results. I rested them because we had sufficient points in the Conference League and can still go through.”
Even before that humiliation, Roma have continued to struggle in the big matches, losing to Lazio and Juventus.
“There is no inferiority complex, the only thing that interests us is that in the last two seasons we finished sixth and seventh. If we finish higher this time and don’t beat any of the big clubs, it’s not a problem.
“Napoli are a great team and Luciano Spalletti is a great coach, so it will be difficult for us, but it certainly won’t be easy for them either. I will be enormously happy to salute Spalletti before the game.”
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— nonleggerlo (@nonleggerlo) October 23, 2021