He first came to the national consciousness in England when taking over at Chelsea for the first time, but it appears that for the last decade and a half, we’ve all been saying his name wrong.
Jose Mourinho aka ‘The Special One’ had a humorous exchange with Japhet Tanganga on the Tottenham training pitch which was picked up by the Amazon Prime cameras for part of the forthcoming documentary ‘All or Nothing.’
“How do I say your name correctly?” Mourinho asks the youngster in the footage, cited by the Daily Star.
After his response, the Portuguese continues: “I hate to tell the wrong names man.
“Everybody says my name wrong. Everybody calls me Jose [pronounced like Hosay]. I am Jose [pronouncing the J and accenting the E].”
It’s an insight into a side of the Portuguese that is rarely seen by the public.
If you love football, you’re in for a treat with the next All or Nothing series on @primevideosport – showing behind the scenes footage from one of the biggest clubs, Tottenham Hotspur. I am definitely guilty of pronouncing José’s name wrong ? #AllorNothingSpurs #ad pic.twitter.com/kvABUznOsg
— Annie Mac (@AnnieMac) August 3, 2020
Often derided as a little sour and always controversial, Mourinho is almost universally liked by the players who work under him, with the possible exception of a couple of high-profile names.
Seeing him in what’s clearly one of his favourite environments, he’s relaxed and at ease. Woe betide anyone who gets on the wrong side of him, mind.