Inter’s head coach, Cristian Chivu, has drawn comparisons to his former mentor, José Mourinho, following his assertive declaration at a recent press conference: “I’m not a fool.”
The Italian sports publication, La Gazzetta dello Sport, highlighted this parallel between Chivu and Mourinho in its latest issue. The newspaper’s prominent headline read “Special Chivu,” a clear echo of Mourinho’s well-known moniker, “Special One.”
During his pre-match press conference ahead of a Serie A fixture against Cagliari, Chivu addressed those who doubted his capabilities, particularly those who had predicted his dismissal early in the season due to his relative inexperience as a coach.
“I can be many things, but I’m not a fool,” Chivu stated, responding to his critics.
This statement closely mirrors an expression used by Mourinho himself during his introductory press conference at Inter back in 2008. At the time, Mourinho famously said, “I’m not a ‘pirla’,” a Milanese dialect term for an idiot or fool.
It is undeniable that Mourinho has had a profound impact on Chivu, both during his playing career and now in his coaching journey. Chivu, a former defender, played under Mourinho at Inter for 59 matches, notably being part of the squad that achieved the historic Treble in the 2009-10 season.