Jose Mourinho’s jagged reaction to Ozil’s supposed Tottenham transfer claim has brought into recall their long-running spat at Real Madrid when they were both in the Spanish capital together.
Tottenham boss Mourinho managed Ozil at the Los Blancos for three years, with the two suffering a major falling-out over the German’s questionable work ethic and it certainly appears their relationship still has not healed after Mourinho responded to Ozil’s claim that he would rather retire than play for Spurs.
Having been frozen out by Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta and not been linked yet with a departure from the Emirates in the January transfer window, the midfielder saucily made it crystal clear in a Twitter Q&A on Monday that the one club he definitely won’t be joining is Mourinho’s Spurs.
Replying to a question about what he would choose between retiring or signing for Spurs during a Twitter Q&A, the World Cup winner cheekily responded:
“Easy question. Retire!”
That response of course piqued Mourinho, with the Portuguese responding with a cold put-down at a press conference by provocatively asking:
“Who told him that Tottenham would be interested in signing him?”
The spat between the two in the Spanish capital stemmed from Mourinho criticising Ozil’s work ethic, as the German documented in his autobiography.
“[Mourinho said to me] you think you’re so good that 50 per cent is enough?” he wrote.
“He pauses. Stares at me with his dark brown eyes. I stare back. Like two boxers at the stare-down before the first round.
“He shows no emotion. Just waits for a response from me. How much I hate him right now. And I love Mourinho actually.”
Ozil had then reacted to that criticism by taking his shirt off and throwing it at his manager, to which Mourinho responded:
“Oh, are you giving up now? You’re such a coward. What do you want?
“To creep under the beautiful, warm shower. Shampoo your hair? To be alone? Or do you want to prove to your fellow players, the fans out there, and me, what you can do?”
Ozil is totally out of favor at Arsenal and is keenly eyeing his next move, although it is still unclear yet if he will depart in January or when his contract expires in the summer.