'I've won 25 and a half trophies' - Mourinho wants recognition for guiding Tottenham to Carabao Cup final
09-06-2021 02:22 PM
Ammon News - The incoming Roma manager guided Spurs to the Wembley showpiece but was sacked days before the match, which they lost to Manchester City
Jose Mourinho claims he has won "25 and a half trophies" in his managerial career - the half coming from guiding Tottenham to the Carabao Cup final last season, only to be sacked days before the match.
The Portuguese manager, who will take charge of Serie A side Roma next season, has officially won 25 leagues titles and cups across a glittering career with Porto, Chelsea, Inter, Real Madrid and Manchester United.
He took Spurs to the League Cup final in 2020-21, but was dismissed six days before the game amid a poor run of form in the Premier League, and they went on to lose the Wembley showpiece 1-0 to Manchester City under interim boss Ryan Mason.
Speaking to The Sun, Mourinho said: “So if you want me to be proactive now you can ask me, ‘how many trophies have you won in your career?’ I’ll tell you 25 and a half. The half is the final that I didn’t play with Tottenham.
“You ask the guys who played lots of finals and everybody will tell you, ‘to play a final is a dream’ and it doesn’t matter if it is the first final or number 20 or number 50, a final is always a dream.
“A Wembley final is more than a dream, I played the first on the new Wembley and every time I go there, it’s more than a dream and to have a chance to win a trophy with a club that doesn’t have many of course was a double dream.
“I am the kind of guy that when I close the door of a club, I move and I just wish good to people, but in a funny way I would say I have 25 and a half titles because it’s something that marks my career which is not to play a final that I won the right to go there.”
The 58-year-old manager was brought in to Tottenham to replace Mauricio Pochettino in the hope he could end the club's long trophy drought - only to depart empty-handed after only 17 months at the helm.
After making a strong start to his first full campaign in charge which appeared to put Spurs in Premier League title contention, results started to slip and Mourinho was relieved of his duties, with a shock Europa League defeat to Dinamo Zagreb also playing a part.
Eventually, under Mason, Spurs came seventh in the top-flight standings, qualifying for the inaugural UEFA Conference League next season.
*GOAL