‘They still kill me!’ – Mourinho demands ‘peace’ from Turkish media after latest win

Jose Mourinho has hit back at the Turkish media who he has accused of trying to “kill” him.

The Portuguese manager, who took charge of Fenerbahce in the summer and currently has the club sitting second in the Super Lig, doesn’t feel he gets enough credit for his work so far.

Following a 3-1 victory over Gaziantep to remain three points behind leaders Galatasaray, he took aim at critics of both himself and Giovanni van Bronckhorst, who was sacked by Besiktas at the weekend after just five months in charge.

“They [local media] still kill me,” Mourinho said after the win. “Give me a little bit of credit.

“Don’t try to do to me what was done to Giovanni van Bronckhorst. I don’t know any coach that in three, four, five months can make miracles, can change things. For me, he was doing a great job.”

Both Mourinho and Van Bronckhorst arrived in Turkey at their respective clubs in the summer but have gone through contrasting experiences.

Fenerbahce’s only league defeat so far has come at the hands of Galatasaray and while they suffered defeat in the knockout round of the Champions League, they remain in the hunt for qualification from the Europa League league phase.

Van Bronckhorst couldn’t have asked for a better start with Besiktas, thrashing Galatasaray 5-0 in the Turkish Super Cup before enjoying an eight-match unbeaten league run.

However, a run of five games without a win followed and defeat to Maccabi Tel Aviv in Europe saw the Dutchman relieved of his duties.

“The results lately were not the best, but you have this culture and this is a culture that goes against stability,” said Mourinho of the treatment of Van Bronckhorst.

“Clubs and players to evolve, they need stability also in their coaches, in their coaches’ philosophy.

“So give me a bit of a break, let me work in peace but if it’s not in peace, there is no problem, I still enjoy it.”