'I don't need nice words, but my players do': Jose Mourinho fumes at Roma fans for booing players

Jose Mourinho has scorned Roma supporters for not giving his team ‘everything it deserves’ following their latest victory over Verona on Sunday.

Roma maintained their pressure on second-place Inter Milan in the Serie A standings as Ola Solbakken’s strike on the stroke of half-time saw them clinch a 1-0 victory at the Stadio Olimpico.

The former Chelsea, Manchester United, and Spurs manager fumed at his own fans at half-time and called on the Roma faithful to give the team more support and explained booing players doesn’t help the team.

Mourinho vented at full-time: ‘People don’t give the team everything it deserves. Andrea Belotti deserved the goal for the match he played, but I can’t be happier than that for the group. 

‘People don’t give enough credit to this team for what they are doing in these conditions. And if they don’t understand them, there are problems.’

‘You can’t boo a boy because he loses a ball. Someone like Bove should be carried in the arms of the fans, he loves Roma more than them. 

‘When I arrived, he was going on loan to Serie C, today he plays as a starter. When fans talk about our right-backs, whoever plays, they can’t always think of Cafu or Maicon. I don’t need nice words, but my players do. 

‘We won today with a small piece of the Curva. I have to be criticized, but I have to protect my boys because they deserve more.’ 

Roma managed to wrap up a crucial win that see’s them move back to third in the league table in the absence of stars Paulo Dybala and Lorenzo Pellegrini, while Tammy Abraham also limped off early in the game.

The recently-turned 60-year-old serial title-winning manager appears to have been growing evermore frustrated in his position at Roma this season and could see his relationship with the club fans deteriorate even further after his latest comments.

His declaration could be seen as an attempt to publicly motivate his players, but steps in treacherous territory of starting a battle with his own fanbase. One that often doesn’t end well.

Mourinho’s appearance at a post-match press conference came as a surprise to some given his recent antics that have seen him sometimes fail to turn up to media interviews.

An awkward Europa League exchange in a post-match press conference after Roma’s recent defeat to RB Salzburg went viral.

Mourinho looked irritated by a question and refused to answer. Instead, he stared back at the reporter in disgust before looking around at the other staff members present.