WHEN the Special One has a message to deliver, nothing gets in his way.
Banished to the stands, banned from the technical area, fined again by the FA.
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He could not care about any of that, not in this mood.
Here at Swansea, in the minutes after an emphatic 3-1 victory at the Liberty Stadium, he delivered a chilling missive.
For Luke Shaw. For Chris Smalling. For anyone who dares to cross Manchester United’s manager.
When you play for a club the size of United, you play through pain.
You put your body on the line.
You do it for Mourinho. You do it for United. You do it for yourself.
This was a brutal assault, going studs-up on two of English football’s most notable players and to hell with the consequences.
It was Mourinho’s classic calling card.
You can be sure he has it in for Shaw but the issues with his vice-captain Smalling are a recent development.
Shaw, signed by Louis van Gaal for £33million, told Mourinho he could not play on the morning of the Swansea game.
Bad idea. Very, very bad idea.
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Ever since Watford away in September, when United were beaten 3-1 and Mourinho tucked into his young left-back over his defending at Vicarage Road, there has been bad blood.
There is also a bit of previous.
When they met — unofficially — to discuss a move from Southampton to Shaw’s boyhood club Chelsea in 2014, they did not get along too well.
Mourinho walked away from the deal, telling associates at Chelsea that the boy and his family were obsessed with money.
Shaw’s parents responded by claiming that they did not like the cut of Mourinho’s jib.
As luck would have it, the Special One became Shaw’s manager at the start of the season.
Things are not going well.
Smalling is in the same bracket now, with Mourinho complaining that the central defender did not fancy Swansea away.
“Cultural” issues are the way the Special One reflected on their absence from the Liberty Stadium.
It is almost unheard of for an English player to dodge a game without a bona fide reason.
Broken leg? OK, if you must. Bruised ego? Get out there and play.
That is certainly what Mourinho heavily hinted at after this jaw-dropping victory.
After that, he delivered the knockout blow.
He believes Smalling has been traumatised, still tied up in knots after his going over in the 4-0 mauling at Chelsea on October 23.
Other Jose Rants
2015/2016
“When you have individuals with that unstable attitude in terms of motivation, desire and commitment, you will pay.”
Before Mourinho’s Chelsea lost 2-1 at Porto
“I’m sure you have some rats who can tell you what is going on”
Following Chelsea’s 3-1 defeat at home to Southampton
“My work was betrayed.”
After defeat 2-1 at Leicester. Mourinho was sacked by the Blues three days later.
2016-17
“If it was a sport with a free number of changes I would have done it after 20 minutes.”
Following derby defeat to Manchester City.
“The critique helps people to learn. From you, they cannot expect other things than be ready to smash them when they have periods of not so much success.”
Before United smashed Leicester 4-1.
“We made an incredible defensive mistake.”
Following United’s 4-0 mauling at Chelsea.
Mourinho indicated he did not fancy it at Swansea, the idea that he could put mind over matter to play.
As it happens, Swansea were so bad he could have played with a cigar on the go and still got away with it.
Instead Mourinho has provoked feverish debate.
At Chelsea first time around, he locked horns with John Terry, fighting with his captain over the number of injections his crippled body could put up with.
Terry, to everyone’s amazement, later claimed he would be prepared to be in a wheelchair in later life if it meant he could get out on the pitch.
Those are the kind of extremes Mourinho deals in.
Calling in sick with a common cold is not what the Special One wants to hear.
After this, Smalling and Shaw will need more than a Lemsip.
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