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21st Jul 2016

Jose Mourinho’s response to Big Sam getting the England job is priceless

Reheating the beef, or a new chapter of friendship?

Richard Beech

“The Big One.”

That’s what Man United manager Jose Mourinho called Sam Allardyce this morning during a press conference in China, in what we assume was a reference to his “Big Sam” nickname rather than an unnecessary bit of body-shaming (not that Allardyce would give one iota of a fuck anyway).

You may remember that back in the 2014/15 season there was some medium-rare beef between Allardyce and Mourinho, West Ham mugged off Chelsea by drawing 0-0 and parking the bus at Stamford Bridge.

Mourinho compared West Ham’s style of play to “19th century football”, Allardyce claimed that he had just “out-tacticked” Mourinho.

The whole thing was great, it was the kind of theatre we love about the Premier League. There were side narratives galore… 19th century football was quite entertaining by all accounts, and there was the fact that Chelsea’s brand of football was so boring at that point that people were beginning to fall asleep at Stamford Bridge, it was great. Perfect.

Fast forward to today, when asked at a press conference what he thought about the appointment of Allardyce, Mourinho replied with the line:

“It’s your country…”

SWANSEA, WALES - OCTOBER 27: Manager of West Ham United Sam Allardyce laughs during the Barclays Premier League match between Swansea City and West Ham United at Liberty Stadium on October 27, 2013 in Swansea, Wales. (Photo by Tom Dulat/Getty Images)

Is the the beef being flashed back on the pan? No, it would appear not. Although you can never fucking tell with Mourinho.

“I think you are a complicated country for the person who gets the job,” Mourinho added.

“I think he is the right person for that, I think he’s a good choice but I think he needs support and I think you can do better in respect to that.”

So that… that sounds like an endorsement then. We think.

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