MILAN, Italy (AP) -Being arrogant is all part of a strategy for Jose Mourinho.

The new Inter Milan coach has lashed out at rival coaches and the media at will since arriving in Italy, including an ugly verbal tussle with a journalist this week that ended with Mourinho declaring how much money he makes.

"Everyone is free to interpret things how they want to, but the last thing you can expect from me is that after a game I go to the press and criticize my players,'' Mourinho said Friday. "I'll never do that. After a loss or a draw I don't go hiding. ,  I like the players to feel protected. They're calm because I'm the man to beat, I'm the one who's not nice, I'm the arrogant one, I'm the incapable coach. This is positive for us.''

Mourinho is under pressure after losing the derby to AC Milan last weekend, then drawing 1-1 with Werder Bremen in the Champions League on Wednesday.

[b]On Tuesday, Mourinho became agitated when he was besieged by questions about the derby, telling a roomful of journalists that it was too easy to criticize the lineup after the game.

One journalist replied that he would help out with the starting lineups if Mourinho gave him part of his ?9 million (US$12.6 million) salary, to which Mourinho snapped back, "It's ?11 million, and I get ?14 million if you count sponsorships.'''

Inter later issued a statement saying that none of the figures were correct.[/b]Inter hosts struggling Bologna on Saturday.



http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/soccer/wires/10/03/2080.ap.soc.inter.mourinho.0302/index.html

good for him

aside from been an arrogant prick, his also a coward

aside from been an arrogant prick, his also a coward

Hey, that's absolutely uncalled for. Remember, football is only a game of adults running around kicking a leather ball. You shouldn't be disrespecting the man like that.

I won't lie I'm a united fan but i like mourinho. I know sometimes he's a little full of sh** but I like him. He's never boring and he says the things you know other coaches are DYING to say but are too tactful to.