ITV has "drawn criticism" after it cut short an interview with Real Madrid coach José Mourinho "just as it appeared he was about to reveal where he would be managing next season," according to the London TELEGRAPH. Following Tuesday night's Champions League semifinal defeat against Borussia Dortmund, Mourinho gave an interview with reporter Gabriel Clarke during which he was questioned about his future. ITV promptly told Clarke to wrap things up "so they could go to the scheduled ad break." Clarke said, "Maybe next season with Real?" to which Mourinho said, "Maybe not. ... I want to be where people love me." Clarke said, "We'll take that as England, we've got to go" (TELEGRAPH, 5/1).
ITV RESPONDS: In London, James Riach reported ITV "has defended its decision" to cut short the interview, claiming that no mistake was made and that it was "too late to arrange an overrun." The broadcaster claimed "the reporter was already in the process of signing off the interview when Mourinho decided to embark on a potentially revelatory statement." ITV said that "if a programme is to overrun, its protocol requires a decision made five minutes in advance" (GUARDIAN, 5/1). Also in London, Sam Cunningham reported Mourinho could have cost ITV £500,000 ($780,000) if it "decided to cut an advertisement break to continue their interview with him." ITV said that "the cost of advertising is very complex to work out," but according to its website it costs between £51,320-60,390 ($80,000-94,100) to broadcast a 30-second advert during its primetime evening shows, meaning it would have cost upwards of £500,000 "if they decided to cut the adverts and run a longer Mourinho interview" (DAILY MAIL, 5/1).
MOURINHO: THEY LIKE ME IN ENGLAND: FOOTBALL ESPAÑA reported Real Madrid’s European exit has prompted Mourinho’s thoughts on his future and the Spanish Press. Mourinho explained that his issues are with the Spanish media. Mourinho: “They like me in England. They criticize me when they have to but they also give credit when I deserve it. I know that some club will want me, especially one, and in Spain there are people who hate me, many in this room, and the situation is different" (FOOTBALL ESPAÑA, 5/1).
MOURINHO DRAWS CRITICISM IN SPAIN: EL PAIS' D. Torres opined, "Few people in the football world are better than Mourinho at turning failure into opportunities for personal aggrandisment, self-promotion and the construction of alternative stories" (EL PAIS, 5/1). In London, Lawrence Ostlere noted that MARCA ran the headline, "Décima (10th Champions League title) dream over for Real Madrid." The Spanish newspaper "summed up the impact of the press conference: 'The elimination of Real Madrid at the hands of Borussia went into the background. The news was Mourinho wanting to leave'" (GUARDIAN, 5/1).
