Mourinho: EFL Cup Final Q & A

Jose Mourinho goes to Wembley on Sunday seeking to win the EFL Cup for the fourth time in his distinguished career.

He's keen to point out that it wouldn't be the first trophy of his Manchester United tenure - he insists the Community Shield should count - and he says victory over Southampton would be more important for the club than for himself, but he says his motivation is strong.

In an exclusive sit-down interview with Sky Sports, he also explains why Zlatan Ibrahimovic can play until he's 40, why he already knows his summer transfer targets and why Claudio Ranieri's departure from Leicester was 'bigger' than his Chelsea exit last season.

Read on for the thoughts of Mourinho ahead of one of the biggest games of the season…

The League Cup is a competition you've always targeted. When you won it with Chelsea it gave the club and team a real bounce. Are you confident that if you win it with United it will do a similar thing for your team?

JM: When we won with Chelsea we were in a fantastic position to win the Premier league, so I can say that the Carling Cup final gave us the last push of confidence to go and win the Premier League. This time is different. Our position in the Premier League doesn't give us real options to win the Premier League this season, but we have a lot to play for. We have the top four, we have Europa League, we have FA Cup, a lot to play for. I would lie if I say a victory now wouldn't push us for more, but at the same time we have to think of events separately.

This is just a final. On Monday and Tuesday we are off and on Wednesday it doesn't matter what, we have to be ready to work and be ready to prepare for Bournemouth which is our next match in the Premier League.

How important is it for you to win your first trophy as Manchester United manager?

JM: Second! The Community Shield is a little one. It is a trophy that belongs also to Mr Van Gaal because he won the FA Cup and allowed us to play in the Community Shield, but it is something. It is a little cup, but it is something.

It would be important. It would be more important for the club than for me. In this moment of my career I'm not selfish, I'm not looking to me too much. For the club I think it's good. A difficult period when we don't win the Premier League or a European competition for a few years. It would be good for the boys' experience, especially the ones that didn't belong to the winning period like Carrick, Valencia, Rooney or Young. It would be important. It would be nice.

You're 40+ matches into your reign. Where do you think you are in terms of this evolution of the club?

JM: I think with this group of players, the squad we have and the difficulties we are having during the season, I think we are more than fine. I think we will be ready in July to open the door for two or three good players to help us to improve our level. You reach a certain level of stability, you find your way to play, your philosophy and this is very important. We are stable in the way the team plays and we need one more push.

The next push is the next transfer window. We didn't use it in the winter and we are obviously going to use it in the summer and trust the players we have. Like Mr Woodward was saying, we will keep a huge percentage of the players we have at this moment in the squad. We need the next push.

Have you earmarked the players already who you want?

JM: Yes.
And are you keen to get it done quickly like you did at Chelsea?

JM: If possible, it is better. If you can start the pre-season with your squad it is obviously better. I always say that the market closes on August 31 when you are already playing matches, so it is not the best moment to do it. But sometimes deals are so difficult to do that sometimes the people responsible need one more day, one more week and it goes until the end.

If you get those players do you feel you will be the real deal next year at home and abroad?

JM: No, I think it is the next step. Is the next step enough to win titles? Probably, we can win this season without that transfer window but I think it is a good opportunity for the next step.

I want to speak about Zlatan. He has scored more goals in league and cup than anyone in the Premier League, the Championship, League One and League Two. You had him at Inter aged 26 or 27, which is arguably a peak age for a striker. How different is he now he is 35?

JM: He is better. He is more collected, he is more intelligent, he understands the game even better. He is not just a finisher, he is also somebody that is important in the creation. He leads, he has a special feeling with the younger guys. I think he is better now.

Could he do a Totti and still be playing at 40?

JM: I think he could. By the physical point of view of course he could. But I don't think it is the physical point of view, it is the mental point of view. He will make the decision like Zanetti, Maldini and like Totti will do one day. He will make the decision and I think the world of football has to accept the decision because what he is doing is phenomenal. One day he will wake up and decide enough is enough.

What have you worked on in terms of the tactics this week that Southampton bring to the table?

JM: They have had 15 days to work, thinking only about us. They don't think about any other opponent, just about this game. Two weeks is like a pre-season so for sure - Claude is a good coach and works well and hard - they were working on us. Can they try to make something new because they had 15 days to work? Maybe. I am trying also to go in that direction. What can they do by surprise?

But I also analyse what is not a surprise which is the way they have been playing during the season. I go to the things they did and the things they never did and who knows what they can do? We work hard to be prepared as a manager and in the days after St Etienne we need to recover from a physical point of view, but also we can work with low intensity and work tactically to try to give the players the best solutions. When the game starts, for me and Claude our work will be reduced to the minimum and then it is up to the guys.

You've drawn Rostov in the Europa League. What are your thoughts on that?

JM: Very bad. It is a long flight, a very difficult team. They did amazingly well in the Champions League. They beat Anderlecht and Ajax in the play-offs, beat Bayern Munich, drew with Atletico Madrid, beat PSV Eindhoven. They are a very defensive team, five at the back, it is going to be hard. I am happy the second leg is at home because we have the chance to decide it at Old Trafford. I am also happy that after Chelsea we don't have to go to Rostov. It is a difficult period and opponent for us, but we are in the last 16. We will have the right motivation when the moment arrives.

Finally, what was your reaction when you heard the Claudio Ranieri news and what will he be feeling?

JM: My reaction is that anything can happen in football. Last season I thought my sacking at Chelsea was a big thing. I realised last night that was such a small thing compared with Claudio. I am disappointed and sad, yes, but surprised? In modern football there are no more surprises.

The club statement is to laugh. The club statement is to throw sand in the eyes of the people. If it's true that some players had an influence on that I think they should be really ashamed.

Credit: Skysports.com