Like many men of a certain age, José Mourinho doesn’t do birthdays any more. What is there to celebrate when you have just ticked off another year towards your pension?
And, anyway, what is there to celebrate when you have just become a laughing stock? When your team have been dumped out of the FA Cup by a bunch of supposed no-hopers in an upset of seismic proportions.
Mourinho, 52 on Monday, is likely to produce one of his best “Mr Grumpy” impressions – of which there have been many lately – should he be asked to blow out any candles. If, that is, anyone is brave enough to buy him a cake. “I stopped celebrating birthdays at the age of 42,” he said. So that’s it, then. Today is just a normal day in the life of José.
As it was on Sunday, when the Portuguese arrived early at Chelsea’s training ground in Surrey to greet his players with, no doubt, a few choice observations on their miserable FA Cup exit against League One Bradford City. Saturday evening was not the time for him to berate his players face to face, though he had spoken publicly of his shame at his side’s display – “It’s a disgrace, it’s unacceptable” – during his post-match press conference.
“No, I did not say that to the players,” Mourinho said. “I said nothing, not a word. It’s not a moment to speak to them. That’s for tomorrow [Sunday]. Nothing to do now. I go home, I have dinner and at 8 o’clock [on Sunday], I am in the training ground.”
It was probably a chastening experience for the players at Cobham yesterday, after throwing away a 2-0 lead against Bradford. For them to then collapse was, indeed, unacceptable.
Only three regulars – Oscar, Gary Cahill and César Azpilicueta – started the fourth-round contest. But even when Mourinho brought on major reinforcements in Willian, Cesc Fàbregas and Eden Hazard there was little discernible difference. “At half-time it was 2-1 and we spoke about the danger of the situation,” Mourinho said. “But the players thought: ‘We are going to score, not them.’ And when Bradford scored for 2-2, after that, the game became crazy.”
From a huge fall – and Mourinho graciously congratulated the Bradford players in their dressing-room afterwards – at least Chelsea can get back on the horse swiftly. They meet Liverpool in the second leg of their Capital One Cup semi-final at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night, with the tie level at 1-1. “The good thing about playing consecutive matches without many days in between,” Mourinho said, “is that when you lose, you have to focus immediately on the next game. There’s not a lot of time to be moaning or analysing the bad one. So let’s move to the next game.”
Were the Chelsea fans moaning? Not really, such was their stunned disbelief. Yet it had all been so comfortable when goals from Cahill and Ramires had effectively pushed the cruise-control button.
Even when Jon Stead, Bradford’s standout performer, lashed home for Bradford shortly before half-time, there was a sense of “so what?” about the Bridge … until that hazy, crazy last quarter of an hour and seven minutes’ stoppage time.
The former Chelsea winger Filipe Morais equalised, Andy Halliday made it 3-2 and the substitute Mark Yeates completed the humiliation. The 6,000 Bradford fans at the Shed end, where those three goals were scored, went bonkers.
“With our supporters, the second half was like a home game for us,” Phil Parkinson, the Bradford manager, said. “That was crucial and, even at 2-0 down, they stayed right with us.
“Kicking towards our fans after half-time we set out to have a real go at Chelsea. We’re at our best when we play in a positive fashion. It was all about respecting Chelsea but not fearing them. That was our mantra.”
Respect, not fear. Much the same as in the 2012-13 season when Bradford defeated Wigan Athletic, Arsenal and Aston Villa of the Premier League on their way to the Capital One Cup final, in which they lost 5-0 to Swansea City.
“We’ve got five or six players who went through that cup run with us and had that great experience,” Parkinson said. “Now, this group are rewriting the history books again.”
Chelsea can still rewrite history. The quadruple may be gone but the treble of League Cup, Premier League and Champions League is still on.
Few may go near Mourinho today. He will still be smouldering. But let’s say it, anyway. Happy birthday, José.
Man of the match Jon Stead (Bradford)