‘Mourinho makes me want to quit football’
Robin Bairner
- 11 Apr 2022 20:48 BST
- 3 min read
Roma head coach Jose Mourinho’s actions during a Conference League clash last Thursday have left Bodo/Glimt boss Kjetil Knutsen wanting to quit football.
Mourinho stands accused of being the aggressor in a confrontation with Nuno Santos, the goalkeeping coach of the Norwegian side.
The upshot of the incident is that both Knutsen and Santos have been provisionally suspended by UEFA, while Mourinho will be allowed to be in the dugout for Thursday’s return match, which will see Roma try to overturn a 2-1 deficit.
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Mourinho's behaviour 'shocking
While Bodo/Glimt have indicated their intention to appeal, Knutsen has branded Mourinho’s attitude as “shocking”.
“Events like this make me want to move into a different field. I even considered whether it was really a good idea to continue working in football,” he told An.No.
“What happened is so far from my values, those of the club and of Norwegian football. In these situations, you need to find the strength in yourself and react in the best possible way.
“The most important thing for me is being able to look yourself in the mirror. If I couldn’t do that anymore, I would really have to consider if this was worth it.
“This type of attitude is shocking. His values and his way of coaching are so far from what I represent. It’s incredibly disappointing to see such behaviour from a coach with so many titles and who has been part of the sport for such a long time.”
Mourinho has long been a coach who has courted controversy, yet having started out as the underdog punching up with Porto, his recent antics have only made him look weak as Roma struggle to qualify against an opponent considered a minnow, despite their impressive progress in the Conference League this season.
