Can I ask you a few questions about Ajax?
Were you surprised that Ajax reached the final?
no
Because we were
Sorry?
We were [surprised] in Holland
I'm not
I'm not surprised, I'm not surprised at all
uh...
Why are you surprised? I really don't know
It's not one of the richest clubs in the world
in Europe
I mean, they play with young players, its difficult
and they have success. Thats a surprise
for the people in Holland
You know, I don't think the age of the players is important
I think the quality of the players is important
And when you speak about investments
you look normally to the biggest clubs in the world
that the investment is massive, but its massive
had made players
and it products (?)
I don't believe that Ajax doesn;t make the right investment at the right age
I don't think these very good young players...
I don't think these very good young players
they go
by luck to Ajax
I think the scouting system has to be very good
I think the education system has to be very good
I think the...
the small investment at a young age
then becomes
like a big investment in older ages
so I think they work, for sure, very very well
I don't see
where is the
where is the surprise? On top of that
they are a champions league team
they came from the champions league
umm...
I always disagree with it.
I think a team
shouldn't play two European competitions in the same season
I think if a team goes to the Champions League and then
doesn't qualify
should go home
shouldn't have the oppurtunity to go and play Europa League
I think the Europa League competition is for teams that
go to Europa League competition in the beginning
like us
We finished
fifth last year, I think, no?
Fifth. I think it was fifth.
We finished fifth. We went to Europa League
We started Europa League from the beginning of the season
and we have to fight to be
where we are.
Can I ask one question about the coach? You know him?
The coach of Ajax? Peter Bosz
I know him?
Yeah, you know him
Because when you were manager of Chelsea
He was the manager of Vitesse
and they were a satellite club
of Chelsea. And you met him
you played against him
as a coach yeah?
yeah
Yeah. Yeah. I know Peter Bosz
Oh sorry [laughs] What do you think of him?
He plays very dangerous attacking exciting football
Is that old school?
Old-fashioned? How do you think about that?
I don't know Peter well enough
I think uh...
when I see Ajax play
I think: fantastic work
and compliments
for that work
No doubts about it
but I don't like,
I don't like to speak about
about colleagues that I really don't know very very well
And Peter Bosz, I don't know very very well
I prefer just to say what is
what is clear in my eyes
when I see Ajax play
I see work
and work is the manager's responsibility
and the staff's responsibility
so
its so easy for me to say
fantastic work. Well done. Congratulations
There's alot of things you've been unhappy about in the build-up
You've referred to the schedule
and the fixtures
and the injuries etc, but now that
its here. Its a European Cup final
Are you energised, are you enthusiastic, are you excited
about managing a team in another European final?
In this moment, I am not focused on the final
In this moment, I am focused still on
on the Sunday match
I would like us to fight for a result. I would like us to
do what we did
against Tottenham, against Arsenal, against Southampton
where
we fought for a result
we could have had better results. We
tried to win matches, we tried
to get something positive out of it
Nobody likes to lose. Nobody likes to throw matches away
so I'm still worried about
about Sunday
Reporter: When it comes to
monday morning
how do you think you'll feel?
I think I'll feel
I think on Monday I will still feel
as a normal day
I think that on Tuesday, when
I leave this training ground
I will be just thinking about
one thing
Press officer: Ok sorry, we need to move on.
Jose, you said previously that you'd like Zlatan to be there
on the pitch, if he wins, to lift the trophy. Is he
physically able to go
and has he
told you that himself.
Everybody goes.
Everybody goes. We have a few
in crutches
but everybody
everybody goes. Fantastic group of players
fantastic spirit
since the beginning of the
of the season
Difficult run
Lots of matches
We spend more time
travelling, playing
with hotels
than at home. Because sixty
sixty-something matches means
140 days in hotels
so half of the year we spent together
so that is only possible when the spirit is amazing.
So everybody is going to be there. Crutches for Young
for Shaw, for Rojo
for Zlatan
but we all go together.
Ok, last 2 questions.
Jose, you've mentioned your own frustrations, going into this, that you can't focus yet
we know about the schedule and the injuries
How concerned are you that negativity can creep into your squad now?
That players may feel tired. They hear
you talking about
all of these problems?
No chance.
No chance. On Tuesday
when we put the foot
in that plane, we think just about one thing
Okay. Last question
Mr Mourinho, which Ajax player
or players did impress you this season?
That's not a question for me.
Why not?
Because if I speak good about them I motivate them
If I speak bad about them, I motivate them.
so I don't speak
Okay, thanks
Okay, guys, thank you.