'Give me a break!' - Jose Mourinho claims Turkish media wants to 'kill' him with Fenerbahce boss determined to avoid same fate as Giovanni van Bronckhorst at Besiktas

Mourinho has expressed frustration over a lack of recognition for his achievements, emphasising his desire to "work in peace". The Portuguese manager has led Fenerbahce to second place in the Turkish Super Lig following their fifth consecutive victory - a 3-1 triumph over Gaziantep on Monday.

After the victory, Mourinho lashed out at the media and stated: "But they [local media] still kill me. Give me a little bit of credit."

Mourinho drew parallels between his situation and that of Van Bronckhorst, emphasising the importance of stability in football management. The Dutch manager was let go after his Besiktas team managed just one win in six games, a decision Mourinho deemed harsh.

"Don't try to do to me what was done to Giovanni van Bronckhorst [at Besiktas]," he said. "I don't know any coach that in three, four, five months can make miracles, can change things. For me, he [Van Bronckhorst] was doing a great job."

Highlighting a broader issue in Turkish football, Mourinho criticised what he described as a culture that undermines stability. He explained that both clubs and players need consistent leadership to grow and adapt to a coach’s philosophy.

"The results lately were not the best but you have this culture and this is a culture that goes against stability," he said.

"Clubs and players to evolve, they need stability also in their coaches, in their coaches' philosophy. So give me a bit of a break, let me work in peace but if it's not in peace, there is no problem, I still enjoy it."

Mourinho’s immediate challenge is Saturday’s high-stakes match against Besiktas, a club currently navigating turbulence after Van Bronckhorst’s departure. Fenerbahce’s recent form positions them as favourites, but Mourinho will undoubtedly approach the game with caution, aware of the intensity of local rivalries in Turkish football.