The prestige and the importance of the FA Cup may have diminished over recent years but Jose Mourinho has admitted that he still loves the romance associated with the oldest cup competition in world football.
Having competed in the competition with three different clubs and having a winners medal at home from his time with cHELSEA, the Portuguese coach admitted that he has some amazing memories from previous ties.
His Tottenham side will travel to Crosby to face eightH-tier Marine tomorrow a tie that personifies what the magic of the cup is all about.
Mourinho is no stranger to cup upsets, with his Chelsea side having been turned over by Bradford at Stamford Bridge in 2015 but the 57-year-old admitted that he was pleased for his lower league opponents that evening.
He told Football.London: “I had away from home beautiful FA Cup matches. I remember for example Shrewsbury with Chelsea, Yeovil for Man United, a full stadium and an incredible atmosphere.
“The guys giving everything. Absolutely beautiful. I also had a big defeat at home and lucky it was in a season where we were champions.
“So because we were champions we could forget the fact that we lost an FA Cup tie a home [against Bradford], but even that day I managed to be happy for them.
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“At the end of the game I was with the feeling about ‘how is this possible’ but I remember that I went to their dressing room and I wanted to live myself that crazy happiness.
“I went to that dressing room and I asked the coach to go inside and I was speaking to the guys in the end and I took pictures with the guys. Ten minutes after being knocked out of the FA Cup instead of me crying in my office I was laughing and enjoying with their guys in the dressing room.
“The FA Cup is especially absolutely beautiful and even knowing that I would like to rest all my guys I can not do it. It is not about being afraid of being knocked out. It is about giving the guys [at Marine] what the guys deserve.”
The Spurs boss admitted that he will take a strong side to Rossett Park and hinted that he will learn a lot about his players based on the attitude they show on Sunday.
Mourinho added: “I don’t promise I take everybody. I am not taking everybody. I will give two or three guys a rest but out of 20 I will take 20 first team players so you can imagine how strong we go and it is for respect for the guys they want to play a good Tottenham side and they will play a good Tottenham side.”
“This is just a match that can show me how much they love football, nothing else.
“It will not be about the performance, it will not be about player A scoring, having chance to score, doesn’t score for a long time, doesn’t score enough goals. No, not at all. It is a game.”
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Based on what Jose is saying, it is clear that he is demanding his players to be professional and approach the game like any other. If we go in with the right attitude, it will likely be a walk in the park for us given the difference in quality between the sides.
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