Real Madrid manager José Mourinho has stressed the importance of trust between himself and his players as he looks to rebuild the Spanish giants into a winning side.
Mourinho, who returned to the Santiago Bernabéu this summer, 13 years after his first spell as Madrid coach, made the remarks while explaining his managerial philosophy and the standards he expects from his squad.
“When I say don’t betray me, of course, I’m speaking about football. Don’t betray me, and I’ll always be there for you,” Mourinho told the Bet It Drives Show, as reported by ESPN.
The Portuguese manager, known for his demanding approach, said discipline would apply to every member of the squad, regardless of their status at the club.
“There are rules that are not negotiable,” Mourinho said.
“If you report at 9 a.m., it’s 9 a.m. for everybody. If you arrive at 9.15, even if you’re a superstar, you just can’t. I don’t accept it … But another thing is giving them freedom to express themselves.”
Mourinho also emphasised that professionalism extends beyond matchdays, saying players must make sacrifices away from football to maintain their careers at the highest level.
“You are a football player 24 hours a day,” he said. “Everything reflects the job. What you eat, what you drink, how you sleep, even things in your private life. You cannot ski. You cannot ride a bike.”
“You fall off your bike, and you don’t play three matches maybe, or maybe worse, maybe you break a leg … There are a lot of things that you have to give up to be a football player.
“If you feel it’s a hobby, you’re dead. There’s always a relationship between what you achieve and what you give up.”
Mourinho also disclosed that Real Madrid approached him to return to the club after a difficult period, with the Spanish giants looking to rebuild following two seasons without a major trophy.
“After two seasons where the biggest club in the world didn’t have the best results and a little ‘divorce’ with the fans, the club contacted me,” he said.
“They told me, ‘We know you. You know us. You know the club, you know the culture.
“We need you. We need you to rebuild. We need you to start again an amazing decade that the club had. We need a person with your profile.’”
Mourinho has faced a challenging start to his second spell in Madrid, with Real six points behind La Liga leaders Barcelona and having also suffered a derby defeat against Atletico Madrid.
