Ghanaian defender Alexander Djiku has credited Fenerbahce’s Portuguese manager Jose Mourinho with instilling a winning culture in the team since taking over in the summer transfer window.
Djiku has starred in both of Mourinho’s first two competitive games, helping the Turkish giants stroll to the third round of the UEFA Champions League qualifiers.
Fenerbahce defeated Swiss giants Lugano home and away to set up a tie with French outfit Lille, and Djiku has been impressed by Mourinho’s attention to detail and ability to motivate his players.
“The star of the team is obviously Jose Mourinho. He controls everything, he is meticulous about all the details, dead balls etc. At the end of training we all score penalties. We work on the little details that can make a difference. You feel his presence, his experience,” he told French media outlet L’Equipe.
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Mourinho is hoping to lead the team to the group stage of the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League, and Djiku believes that the Portuguese manager’s experience and winning mentality will be key to achieving this goal. “Jose Mourinho speaks to us often, he is very meticulous about his expectations in defence and attack. There is healthy competition within the team, the coach gave everyone a chance during the preparation period,” added Djiku.
Djiku also praised Mourinho’s ability to get the best out of his players, both physically and mentally.
“We worked a lot athletically and physically during the preparation period, we had long sessions. We are starting to get in good shape physically. Mourinho is the best coach in the world”
“He won the Champions League with Porto (2004) and Inter (2010), the Europa League with Manchester United (2017) and the Conference League with Roma (2022). He has won with every team he has coached. He instills this winning culture in us. You feel that he is a real leader.”
