Swansea boss Bob Bradley aims to pile the pressure on “gracious” Jose Mourinho at the end of a troubled week for the Manchester United manager.
Mourinho will watch United’s Premier League game at Swansea on Sunday in the stands after being given a one-game touchline ban.
It has been a desperate week for Mourinho, who accepted two Football Association misconduct charges and then criticised his players following their timid 2-1 Europa League defeat to Fenerbahce on Thursday.
But Bradley says he saw a different side of Mourinho when he was the manager of the United States national team between 2006 and 2011 and during their relationship since.
“I’ve talked to him on the phone and traded some messages with him in the last year. We have some common friends,” Bradley said.
“He’s been in the United States a lot with teams in preseason and in many of those situations I’ve had a chance to see his teams train. He’s always been gracious in those moments.”
Bradley also recalled how an act of Mourinho kindness on one of those preseason tours struck a special chord with him.
“When he was at Inter Milan and Real Madrid my eldest daughter Kerry was handling some of the administrative details for those teams,” Bradley said.
“I was standing quietly at training there one day when he comes straight across the field.
“He started talking about the U.S. and how we had played well in the World Cup. I remember him saying sometimes you need a bit of luck and that you should be proud.
“Then he hesitated and goes: ‘And your daughter is a great girl.’ She had done a bit of work around the team and he knew, from one father to another, that I would appreciate that. And I did. It shows you what kind of guy he is.”
Support InfoStride News' Credible Journalism: Only credible journalism can guarantee a fair, accountable and transparent society, including democracy and government. It involves a lot of efforts and money. We need your support. Click here to Donate