Jose Mourinho is not a manager who can hide his feelings, and it is clear from his touchline antics and training ground videos that he prefers a hands-on approach. Shaun Wright-Phillips has recalled an incident in which the manager kicked a table in the dressing room.
Jose Mourinho Left Chelsea Players Stunned
Wright-Phillips joined Chelsea in Mourinho’s second season after coming through the academy at Manchester City. The Englishman spoke on the “In The Mixer” podcast this week when he revealed a dressing room incident in which Mourinho fly-kicked a table full of drinks
The former England international said the players were back in the dressing room at halftime after a poor performance. The players were silent as they waited for the manager and his staff to come in and talk.
“We came into the dressing room after a bad half. I think I was subbed in that game. But we were all in there because nobody was allowed to go and warm up yet. Everybody had to be there at half-time. It was weird because Jose was in his office, and we were all just sitting there, and nothing was happening. It was quite quiet.”
Wright-Phillips recalled being stunned by Mourinho’s entrance as he kicked the table full of drinks. Since it was his first season at the club, he did not know how to react. He said the manager’s reaction showed how much he cared about the results and the performance.
“Then he walked past as if he’d gone to the toilet, and all of a sudden he came sprinting back in and fly-kicked the table. All the drinks went everywhere! I just looked on because I was still new at the club. I’m like, ‘What just happened?’ Then he just exploded… I quite like that, though. I like that from a manager. Because he’s showing us he cares.”
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Wright-Phillips went on to say he would prefer a manager to be direct with the players rather than keep quiet and talk behind their backs. However, he does not think the current players would be able to handle it and would crumble under pressure.
The former winger played 91 matches under Mourinho at Chelsea, scoring six goals and assisting 12 times before the manager left the club in 2007. Wright-Phillips left a year later and rejoined Manchester City.
