In a recent encounter, the renowned Portuguese coach, Jose Mourinho, engaged in a discussion with a former player of his.
Mourinho humorously mentioned that he had to request former Chelsea standout Michael Essien to refrain from using a particular nickname when addressing him.
The 51-year-old playfully reminisced about his strong bond with numerous African players who were part of his Chelsea side in the early to mid-2000s.
Mourinho jokingly stated to FIVE, “I cannot go to Africa.”
I have guys all around the world. Every time I go to Africa, I cannot walk because, you know, I had Didier Drogba from Ivory Coast, Geremi from Cameroon, Kalou from Ivory Coast, Obi Mikel from Nigeria, Essien from Ghana. The guys, they love me. Even in Europe with many African guys, people really love me. To be honest, I love the guys, and I feel that the African player is very loyal and very pure.
Many of them call me daddy, and some of them are almost my age. When Essien calls me daddy, I just say…”Michael, please refrain from calling me ‘daddy,’ considering we’re nearly the same age. However, you understand the affection I have for my colleagues, especially the African players I work with.
I believe I bring out the best in them, and they see me as someone who genuinely cares for and respects them, both as players and individuals. I’ve always had a strong bond with African players and received positive responses from them.”
