Man United comparisons, supporter frustration, Conte plea - Jose Mourinho at Fenerbahce so far

Jose Mourinho is a man who never stays away from the spotlight.

The former Manchester United manager's summer arrival at Fenerbache created global headlines. Whatever anyone thinks of Mourinho, no one can say that he isn't still box office.

From the moment he walked through the door at Chelsea and declared himself the self-anointed special one, everyone knew he was someone different. This was a man with unwavering self-belief who reeked of trophy-winning success.

And he delivered emphatic results at Stamford Bridge, Inter Milan and Real Madrid with league and cups galore. He would say your going to win and you wouldn't doubt it for a single second.

READ MORE: Manchester United told me I could cost them £100m when they released me

READ MORE: Cristiano Ronaldo and David De Gea lead emotional Man United messages to Rafael Nadal

But the 2024 Mourinho is very different. Despite winning trophies at United, his time at Old Trafford between 2016 and 2018 was not seen as a universal success. The same could be said of a spell at Roma, despite winning the Conference League there in 2022. At Tottenham, he failed to win any silverware after being sacked just days before the 2021 League Cup final.

It's fair to say that modern-day Mourinho does not have the same aura. Since winning the Premier League during a second spell at Chelsea in 2015, he has failed to win a league title.

Fenerbahce are hoping that will change. The Turkish giants have not won their domestic league since the 2013/14 season and TRT spor correspondent Doruk Tecimer has explained why that was a big motivation behind appointing Mourinho.

"They wanted to create a new system," he told the Manchester Evening News. "The coaches were brilliant like Jorge Jesus, Vitor Pereira, they were both Portuguese, and last year there was a Turkish guy, İsmail Kartal, he was successful too.

"Fenerbahce lost one match last year in the league and ended the season with 99 points. But Galatasaray, their biggest rival, had 102 points, so they finished second. It was ridiculous.

"The board thought, 'what do we need to do to win the title?' And they thought the most famous managers could come to Turkey such as Jurgen Klopp, Carlo Ancelotti, Antonio Conte and win the title.

"Also, about six months ago, there was a presidential election, and one of the candidates talked with Mourinho, another talked to Conte, and the current president thought he had to go to Mourinho to win the election."

After managing some of Europe's biggest clubs, many questioned Mourinho's motivation for moving to Fenerbahce in the summer. But Doruk explains that Europe was a big factor and that hasn't diminished despite them losing to Lille in their Champions League playoff tie in August.

"Mourinho wants to win the Europa League," he explained. "Another motivation is the fact he earns a lot of money, of course. Around €10million per year.

"He was always criticised by the media almost every year, so he needed a new adventure. He is familiar with Turkey having been there with Real Madrid and Manchester United."

Mourinho's style of play has been a bone of contention for supporters throughout his career. And that doesn't appear to have changed during his short tenure in Turkish football with supporters ready to criticise him as they sit fourth in the Turkish Super Lig.

"At Fenerbahce, the fans aren't used to his defensive style," Doruk admitted. "Fenerbahce were always attack, attack but Mourinho puts defence ahead of attack.

"It's the same from when he was at Man United because remember the Sir Alex Ferguson era, Nani, Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney attack, attack, attack Mourinho doesn't do that.

"The fans are ready to criticise but they didn't criticise yet because it's still October. We will see November and December too, and we will see the Europa League because we will play against Manchester United as well.

"Fenerbahce will play very important games in little time after the international break, so we will see. Maybe Mourinho will change himself a little bit. I don't believe it but we will see."

Manchester United - 25 years on from winning the treble - souvenir special on sale now!

Manchester United made history 25 years ago by becoming the first English club to win the Treble.

This stunning Manchester Evening News souvenir special looks at the men behind the triumph, the key moments, the big matches, the astonishing comebacks.

David Beckham, Roy Keane, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs – perhaps the finest midfield quartet in the history of the British game. Peter Schmeichel and Jaap Stam, two of the rocks at the back upon which the Treble triumph was built. The fab four up front - Andy Cole, Dwight Yorke, Teddy Sheringham, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

It truly was the greatest season of all time.

Order your copy now and get it delivered direct to your door. On sale in most participating supermarkets, high street retailers and independent newsagents in Manchester from Wednesday, June 19, 2024.

Worldwide shipping available, postage and packaging applies for all online orders. This is a newsprint product and may be folded for dispatch.