Exclusive: Mourinho’s Unfiltered Opinions on Fenerbahçe’s Future and Challenges

The Portuguese coach shook up the agenda with his statements on HT SPOR! Ahmet Selim Kul and Sine Çakır Heyse asked the questions, and Jose Mourinho provided the answers.

Here are Mourinho’s words:

“You have coached some of the biggest clubs in Europe so far. Why Turkey?”

“I think Fenerbahçe chose me. I think it happened the other way around. I was waiting calmly, analyzing. There were different offers. I had meetings with different clubs, different presidents, different sporting directors. I wasn’t in a hurry to make a decision that would motivate me. At that time, there were 3 presidential candidates — and there were 3 candidates, not 2. All three of the presidential candidates met with me; all of them wanted me. This made me feel how much this club wanted me. Then, step by step, the negotiations continued. We held meeting after meeting. President Ali Koç and sporting director Mario laid the ambitions, pains, scars, dreams, and conditions of this club on the table. I was motivated because it was a new country for me. Because it wasn’t the English Premier League again, it wasn’t Serie A in Italy again, it wasn’t Portugal again… It was something new for me here. At the same time, the club had the ambition to end a difficult period. Day by day, week by week. And I’m starting to understand better why. I understand this club’s dreams better, and I want to be a part of it too.”

“You used some powerful words at the signing ceremony. They were very effective.”

“This is who I am. I think I used that sentence there for the first time. I said, ‘This jersey is my skin,’ but it’s not the first time I’ve felt this way. This is my sense of professionalism. Every club I go to becomes my club. At every club I go to, I am not important. The club is important, the fans are important, the players are important. Those dreams are important. I’m just someone trying to help them achieve what they want. The statement ‘This jersey is my skin’ is correct. Look, I put it on at 8 in the morning. The earliest I will take it off is around 7 in the evening when I go home. What I mean by that is, I am one of them too. I will fight for them and do my best.”

“I LOVE PRESSURE”

“This is part of Turkish culture. I could see this even from afar. Even if it’s for different teams, it’s about the big players who come to the country, people’s emotions, their expectations… I think it’s a part of the culture. In England, for example, if you go to one of the big clubs where there is a lot of expectation, there are only journalists in the locker room, and there’s no one outside. Nobody cares. There, people only live football emotionally for 90 minutes a week. But for the rest of the week, they have their own lives, their own jobs.”

“Which is better for you, Turkey or other countries?”

“It’s different. I mean, you need to understand. When I was working at Chelsea, my home was a 10-minute walk from the stadium. After the match, I would walk home. If I were to walk outside in Turkey, I couldn’t walk 10 meters. But I love pressure; I love emotion; I love how people live it. Of course, if we can leave elements like too much violence, too much aggression, and too much pressure outside the door or manage to stop or control this negative part a bit, I think it’s a great environment to work in. Also, working in a big city with a lot of clubs is great. There are many clubs from the same city in the league. It was the same in England too. When I was at Chelsea or Tottenham, Chelsea, Tottenham, Arsenal, Fulham, Brentford, West Ham… These teams are from the same city, but it can’t be compared to the reality we live in in Istanbul.”

“You have won league championships eight times in the world’s biggest leagues. Do you believe you will win in Turkey?”

“I think that’s a great question for them. I think you should ask many foreign coaches who have worked at different clubs why they haven’t won. If I stay here for two years and don’t win the championship at the end of those two years, then I’d like to sit down with you and explain why I couldn’t. Because by then, I would be in a position to explain it.”

“Zico was the last foreign name to win a championship in Turkey. What do you think about this?”

“I’ve heard a lot of things. If I believed everything I heard, I would pack my bags and run away. I don’t believe everything I hear. I prefer to learn on my own. Turkish coaches understand the culture here better. They know the country better; they understand it better. So I am also trying to learn as much as I can about the characteristics of the Turkish league. That’s my entire focus. For example, I can’t believe that one of the coaches of the title-contending teams is very close friends with some referees. Because if I believe that, I would pack up and leave. Because that’s not football. Probably, in terms of cultural adaptation, it’s easier for Turkish coaches. This is their natural habitat. I left Portugal 20 years ago and have worked in four different countries. I have always had the ability to learn quickly, adapt quickly, and win trophies. That’s what I will try to do here too.”

“Are you happy with the moves Fenerbahçe made in the transfer window?”

“I’m very happy, and I think Fenerbahçe did the right things. There is something; maybe I’m wrong, but that’s my feeling. The difficulty Turkish clubs face in the qualifying and playoff matches they play for European tournaments is connected to the transfer window closing later. I think it can provide an advantage in a sense. Because the transfer window is closed in most countries, Turkish clubs have the opportunity to acquire players they normally wouldn’t, but it also creates challenges. For example, while we were playing against Lugano and Lille, apart from the players who were not in training due to the European Championship, our transfer window was not closed yet. This is never a criticism; this is reality. Now we have almost come to the end of the transfer period. I want to say that our transfer window is closed. It could close today, and I think the club has done a good job.”

“Do you think the transfers were late?”

“For a manager, transfers are always late. Because the ideal situation for a manager is to have the squad complete on the first day. But football is not like that anymore. There’s the European Championship, the World Cup, the Nations League… With all these tournaments, players can hardly take a vacation anymore. My players put in a great effort. Some of them only took a week off to return and help their teams in the European qualifiers. It’s a very difficult situation. It’s also a tough situation for clubs to manage. There’s this contradiction. For example, I make my transfers early, but then I might miss big opportunities that could come up later. It’s a tough situation. In this sense, I wouldn’t want to be in management’s or the sporting director’s position. It’s a tough situation for them to manage and find a balance.”

“The Kostic transfer happened; everyone is curious… How will Mourinho use Kostic?”

“No problem, maybe he’ll play as a goalkeeper. Players will play wherever the team needs them. This is our philosophy. Wherever the team needs, the players will play there. Because players are not important, the club is important. Only the club is important; only the team is important. The players will play wherever the team needs them. Of course. Why did Kostic come? Because we lost a great creative left-back from our team, and we were in a situation where we lacked on that side. Kostic can play in a back three, in a back four. He can play as a wing-back, left-back, left-winger. If necessary, he can even play as a left midfielder… He will provide us with many solutions in this sense. He is an experienced player. He has a great competitive mindset and completes our team very well and in a balanced way. We have good options in every position. That’s why I’m happy with the work management has done.”

“What would you like to say about the new transfers?”

“My opinion is that they add significant quality to the team. As you know, there was a big change in the forward position. Only Dzeko remains from last year in our squad. We had to analyze all these situations such as the number of foreign players, the number of Turkish players, and the UEFA list. For these reasons, Cenk Tosun was a great option for us. At the same time, due to his experience and familiarity with the league, we also went for a top-level forward. We didn’t want to bring in a backup forward for him. We wanted top-level forwards in our squad, and the club was in a position to make this happen. En-Nesyri is a fantastic player. I can guess what people are talking about. Actually, one of the good things about not speaking Turkish is this. I turn on the TV, I don’t understand anything. I look at social media, I don’t understand anything. Maybe it’s great for me, but I can guess people are saying: ‘Play Dzeko, let them play together, they won’t play together, what will happen?’ What will happen is that Fenerbahçe will always have a top-level forward on the field. That’s what will happen. There is no number 1, 2, or 3. The one who performs better will play. Sometimes they will play together, sometimes Cenk Tosun will play.”

“WE ARE THE TURKISH TEAM THAT WILL PLAY THE FEWEST MATCHES ON WEDNESDAYS”

“In the Europa League, we will play at least 8 matches. Looking at the days when the matches are played, we are very unlucky because we are the Turkish team that will play the fewest matches on Wednesdays. We will mostly play our European matches on Thursdays, which means we will have less time to recover for the weekend. For this, we need a team, not just 11 players. We need a team, and right now, we have a balanced team in every position.”

“I CAN’T TALK ABOUT MEDINA”

“I thought you would ask about Osimhen. You’re asking about Medina, but I can’t talk about Medina. He is a Boca Juniors player. Why should I say anything about him? I don’t know.

“What is your goal with Fenerbahçe in Europe?”

“First of all, I want to advance. My experience tells me that we need to progress step by step. Even when I won tournaments, I didn’t say in September, ‘Our goal is to win this tournament.’ Never. The goal is to advance. There is a new format, which I think nobody knows about. Of course, no one knows. We have to try. You might say to me, ‘Jose, you have almost 200 matches in Europe.’ Yes, but I have zero matches in this format. We need to understand this situation where we play 4 home games and 4 away games. You are in the same points table with teams you haven’t faced. For example, we will be in the same points table with another Turkish team with an easier draw than ours. We will be in the same points table. It is very, very strange. Our goal is to advance after 8 matches. That’s the goal. The draw is the draw. I don’t believe there are hot and cold balls when they draw. Now, it’s not hot or cold, but the computer does the draw. The draw is the draw. It is what it is.”

“Do you have a problem with UEFA?”

“UEFA is separate, referees are separate. I’ve never had any problem with UEFA. In fact, I have a very good relationship with the president. Very respectful. They know that I am a part of their history. They know this. In the end, I have no problem with UEFA. But the truth is that last season, VAR and the match referee decided that I should not win the final. Because if you ask 1 million people, they would all say it was a very clear penalty. Another fact is that after two hours of struggle against Lille, a very strange penalty was given by VAR in the last minute. As always, I have to keep moving on. But you are right, I will never forget the final I played with Roma when I die…”

“I HOPE WE DON’T EXPERIENCE WHAT WE DID IN RIZE TOO OFTEN”

“I hope we don’t experience situations like we did in Rize too often. Since the score was 5-0, everyone forgets it. I will not forget what I saw in the first half of that match. I hope it is the first and last. I think there is a different perspective against them. I think so. It goes against my nature. Because I think everyone is the same for 90 minutes. Whether it’s Guardiola, Ancelotti, Jurgen Klopp, or a young coach for a few weeks, the rules are the same for them. They need to behave the same way. Whether it’s Cristiano or Messi on the field, or a 16-year-old Deniz playing his first match against us, it doesn’t matter. The rules are the same for everyone. The status of the club doesn’t matter. Whether it’s a big club or a small club… Whether it’s a team from the second league or a champion team, it doesn’t matter. The rules are the same for everyone.”

“THERE IS A DIFFERENCE IN GALATASARAY’S DOMESTIC MATCHES”

“When I look at Galatasaray‘s domestic matches, there is a difference. There is a difference. This goes against the credibility of the league. Moreover, if you want your league to be respected abroad… Maybe people will say you are not humble. Okay, I’m not humble. But I think my presence here attracts more attention to the league. I think for this league to be credible abroad, these things need to stop. There is no Galatasaray, no Fenerbahçe, no Beşiktaş. There is nothing. There are teams, coaches, and players, and it’s the same for everyone. My opinion is that I have been in football all my life.”

“You said after the first match that Okan Buruk gets what he wants with the cards. You also talked about the referee in the last match. Do you see some problems in this regard?”

“Do you know what gave me the most pleasure when talking about referees during this period? When I spoke very well about the referee. That gives me more pleasure. In our last home match, we had a young referee. He was 30 years old. He had managed 3 or 4 matches in the Turkish league. He did a great job. He controlled the game very well. He was fair to both sides. After the match, both we and the opposing team left the field respecting him. I spoke very well about him. That gives me more pleasure. When we drew 2-2 away with Göztepe, I congratulated the referee after the match. That gives me pleasure. I criticize the referee at the end of the match we won 5-0. Because that first half is unacceptable. The decisions he made were unacceptable. I also saw the referee in Galatasaray’s first match. It was like black and white.

I’m not just talking about myself. Because I came to Turkey, I work for Fenerbahçe, but I also work for Turkey. I also work for the Turkish League. I think I have some responsibilities to develop a product. Because at the end of the day, you have to sell this product. You need to make more money to reinvest in football. You need to sell a better product. If you want to sell a better product, we all need to work together for a better product.”

“Did the Turkish Football Federation request you to give a course or seminar?”

“No. No. There was just a normal contact before the season started. A referee came to the facility and tried to explain how things would work. They said only the captains can talk to the referee, which is not true. They said only one coach can stand in the technical area in the dugout, which is not true. They contacted me just for this. If they need me, I am available. After all, I am working for your country.”

“Do you like playing mind games?”

“No, I like to tell the truth. I like to be open-minded. I don’t like to say things people like just to be politically correct. I am not like that. I like to be myself. Being myself does not mean playing mind games; it means saying what I think is right. I might be wrong. Of course, I will be wrong many times, but I say what I think. Isn’t there Beşiktaş? Trabzonspor? Kasımpaşa? We will play against them. I hope we collect fewer points this year. It would be better for the league. If first or second or whatever collects fewer points, it would be better. If the league is more competitive, it would be better. I hope it goes in that direction.”

“Galatasaray made a crazy transfer. What would you like to say about Osimhen?”

“Osimhen is a great player. If I were at a club with a potential budget of 70-75 million, I would buy him. He’s a great player. Of course, he came under different conditions. But at the end of the day, conditions don’t matter; the important thing is that Galatasaray definitely got a great player. I have no problem with Victor. On the contrary, we have a very good relationship. But every time I play against him, I talk to him because I don’t like the way he behaves on the field. I always say to him, ‘You are better than this. Stop it. Play football.’ There is no problem between us. I hope he plays in the next match. I think every player is a star. I hope he plays in the next match because it will be good for Turkish football.”

“There is a big derby after the Kasımpaşa match. Are you excited about this?”

“I want to say this: my players need to score goals against Kasımpaşa because we must beat Kasımpaşa. It’s the last match before the derby. I know not only here, but in Real Madrid – Barcelona, Roma – Lazio, Inter – Milan… People are very prone to thinking about derbies early. Thinking about it too early is wrong. We have an important match to play on Sunday. We need to get 3 points. We have to fight on Sunday. Monday is a day off for the players, but I can promise you this: I won’t be taking a day off on Monday. I will be fully focused on the Galatasaray match, but right now, I’m not thinking about that match for even a second.”

“What would you like to say about Fenerbahçe President Ali Koç?”

“It’s very simple and pragmatic. Today, I have a job. If he decides tomorrow that I don’t have a job, then I will be unemployed. So, he is the most important person in my professional life. I would describe him as a passionate man. He is passionate about his family, passionate about his club… Of course, my contact with him is mostly related to the club. His passion for the club is incredible. His way of living for the club, if not every minute, thinking about the club, speaking passionately about the club, is incredible. He can call me at 9 in the morning, 9 in the evening, or at midnight. He is truly in love with the club. I have had the privilege of meeting his wonderful family through my contact with him. I can understand very well that he is a man in love with his family, a man in love with life. Of course, he is my president, and in that sense, I have to respect him, but outside of that, I have the utmost respect for him as a person. I like this. In the last 20 years, I have worked with many different presidents and club owners. What I hated the most was when I had to wait two months to talk to them. Then, two months later, I would talk to them again. I like presidents; I like sharing. I like people being involved. With this president, I have that.”

“Will Fenerbahçe and Turkey be featured in your documentary?”

“Of course. I would like to say that it will be released in January 2025. There will be different episodes. It’s not a single documentary. There will be different episodes. They are not sure if it will be 3 or 4 yet. But the goal is 5 or 6. So, Fenerbahçe will be there, Istanbul will be there. I think this season’s start will also be there. But it won’t be the last episode. More is to come. Since I still have at least 10 years left in my career, I won’t be ending my career after 2 years at Fenerbahçe. There are at least 10 more years. So they wanted to keep it open-ended. So, what’s certain is that my Fenerbahçe story will not be in the January 2025 episodes, but I believe it will come in a few months or a few years, and it will be great. Just like the view I see every morning. Because when I wake up in the morning and look out the window, the first thing I see is the Bosphorus. Istanbul is beautiful. I am very lucky. London, Rome, Madrid, Milan… I am very lucky. Istanbul is very beautiful, very, very beautiful. The problem is that the food is very good, and I need to control it.”

“What would you like to say about Fenerbahçe fans?”

“I think I said everything when I arrived. If we go back to the sentence, ‘This jersey is my skin,’ it means everything. I understand that this is a culture. For example, at Real Madrid, we would say this: the silence of the Bernabeu, the silence of the stadium, was a difficult situation for the players to deal with because silence meant we were not happy. They would stay quiet. Here, I know there will be reactions sometimes when a player makes a wrong pass or misses a chance, but that’s the culture. We can’t change it. We, as a club, have to be very smart. When we select new players, we need players with certain character traits. We need players who are strong enough to deal with this because sometimes players can’t handle it. When a player can’t handle it, they have a problem succeeding in a culture like Fenerbahçe’s. So far, I can only thank them for the support they’ve given to the team in the Lugano, Lille, and two league matches we’ve played at home. They should enjoy playing with us. I used to emphasize this a lot. Coming to the game as a spectator or fan is one thing, but coming to play the game is another. I think they want to play the game. That’s my feeling. They want to play the game with us, and that’s beautiful.”

“We know that Osayi Samuel is injured. Is there any injury to another player?”

“Djiku had a minor problem in the last game. Becao had to come in for him. He’s in the recovery process. In a short match we played against the U-19 team last Friday, Bright also had a minor injury. Hopefully, it won’t take long.”

“Are you thinking of returning to the English Premier League or coaching a national team?”

“My goals… I hope you understand the connection. My goal is to be so successful at Fenerbahçe that the club wants me to stay longer. That’s my goal. Maybe then I won’t want to stay. But the goal is to be so successful that Fenerbahçe wants me to stay. That’s the goal. I’ve had opportunities for national teams in the past. Of course, from my own country but not only from there. Around 2009 or 2010, the England national team… I always refused because I don’t think it’s a job I would be happy in. One game a month or two games a month… Traveling to watch players, then doing office work. Waiting for a European Championship or World Cup every two years. Right now, I have a lot of energy to spend. Maybe it will be great one day when I’m old and tired, but not now.”

“I NEVER SAID ‘I AM THE SPECIAL ONE'”

“I never said I was ‘The Special One.’ Never. I never said it. There is a huge difference between ‘The Special One’ and ‘A Special Person,’ and I never said, ‘I am The Special One.’ I am not humble, but I am not stupid either. I never said, ‘I am The Special One.’ But there is only one of me. I can lose every game in my career. I did what I did. The players need support. I can handle everything. But the players play; I don’t play. I don’t score goals; I don’t save goals. The players need support. I can handle everything, especially now. After so many years, my hair has turned white.”

“Do you have any advice for Arda Güler, or what do you say about his performance?”

“The biggest club in the world can only have the best players in the world. Real Madrid does a great job of getting the best young players or potentially the best players in the world. They got Vinicius and Rodrygo when they were kids. There is Jude Bellingham, who is very young. Arda is there, very young. Now Endrick. They do a great job of getting the best young players. They choose well because character is very important to play at that club. The player must think, ‘I am good enough to play here, I am not afraid to be here.’ Young Arda is showing this great character. Top-level quality. Ancelotti is a great coach to learn from. Playing for the national team, going to big tournaments like the European Championship, and feeling the weight of the country on his shoulders are very important for him. Of course, it’s a big country. He is heading towards a great future.”