Jose Mourinho acknowledged the challenges of adapting to Turkish football after Fenerbahce’s chaotic 2-2 draw against Goztepe. The Portuguese manager, known for his confident “Special One” persona since his Chelsea days, has encountered a rocky start in the Turkish Super Lig. Not only did Lille eliminate Fenerbahce from UEFA Champions League qualifying, but the team also squandered a 2-0 lead in Izmir, which ultimately led to a frustrated pitch invasion targeting club president Ali Koc.
Reflecting on the match, Jose Mourinho labeled himself “the foreign one” and highlighted the differences in football culture that he must embrace. He stated, “The passion, the love, the enthusiasm here match my passion for football completely,” Mourinho shared via ESPN. “However, certain aspects, rooted in the local culture, remain beyond my control. Therefore, I need to adapt to them, not the other way around. After all, I’m the newcomer, the foreign one. I won’t change things. Instead, I have to adjust… I’m not a magician, though I have plenty of experience.”
Moreover, Fenerbahce has faced struggles in recent Super Lig seasons, finishing second to Trabzonspor once and to Galatasaray twice. Consequently, Mourinho, who left Roma after nearly three seasons that included back-to-back European finals, now faces the daunting task of ending Fenerbahce’s ten-year title drought. Nevertheless, he has already encountered setbacks against Lille and Goztepe during his tenure.
Despite facing ten men in the final moments of their Champions League qualifier, Mourinho’s team allowed Jonathan David’s penalty to eliminate them in the 118th minute. Similarly, in the match against Goztepe, Romulo Cardoso’s 95th-minute goal snatched a victory from Fenerbahce’s grasp.
Jose Mourinho urged his squad to be “smart” and more ruthless in finishing games. “In a league that isn’t poetic, we can’t afford to be naive or overly artistic,” Mourinho said after the match. “We need to seize opportunities to close out games. The players must focus on that. I warned them that if we conceded, the home fans would rally behind Goztepe, making our job much tougher. And that’s exactly what happened in the second half— the crowd’s support was overwhelming.”
“In some places, this approach might be called anti-football. Here, it’s considered smart. We need to adopt that mindset,” Jose Mourinho concluded.
