New Manchester United's 3-0 home victory over Tottenham Hotspur made Mourinho the undisputed centre of attention at the post-match press conference.
Gone was the humility he had displayed before the match.
Mourinho declared that his team had performed exceptionally well and executed his tactical plan almost perfectly.
He praised the players for their aggression and intensity, which had denied Tottenham any room to operate, and expressed the hope that they would maintain the same level of performance at White Hart Lane.
When discussing Tottenham, Mourinho acknowledged their quality and experience.
He pointed to the balance between established veterans such as Sheringham and promising young players such as Ledley King, insisting that Spurs were capable of producing much better results.
As for the match itself, Mourinho attributed New Manchester United's victory to better tactics and superior form on the day.
Hoddle stood nearby with a grim expression as Mourinho dominated the room.
Accustomed to being the centre of attention, he disliked seeing a manager from League Two steal the spotlight.
It irritated him enormously.
It was only one victory.
Just wait until the second leg at White Hart Lane.
Then Mourinho would see what Tottenham could do.
At the end of the press conference, Hoddle was so angry that he did not even glance at Mourinho before leaving.
"He's not in a very good mood," Mourinho said, looking at his unshaken hand with a wry smile.
"Perhaps he has good reason."
The reporters burst out laughing.
Several had already thought of the perfect headline.
A Gentleman's Victory.
...
The following morning, Ethan nearly choked on his breakfast when he saw the newspaper headlines.
"Him? A gentleman?" he said in disbelief.
"Just eat and stop reading the newspaper," Eva complained from across the table, pouting attractively.
"José does look rather stylish, though. I never realised he was so photogenic."
Ethan chuckled.
Mourinho would eventually become one of the world's most recognisable managers, modelling for Armani and appearing in advertisements.
Of course he looked stylish.
As the club's owner, Ethan understood Mourinho's methods well.
His deliberate provocation of Hoddle was intended to influence the second leg.
Mourinho was exceptionally skilled at psychological warfare, and if Hoddle allowed himself to be provoked, the consequences could be serious.
"By the way, if you beat Tottenham again, does that mean you'll reach the final?" Eva asked.
She knew little about football, but she had begun taking an interest because she wanted to share more of Ethan's world.
"Theoretically, yes.
"We would have to lose by at least four goals without scoring for Tottenham to eliminate us outright.
"That is almost impossible," Ethan said confidently.
"Why?"
Eva had heard that football had a habit of producing the supposedly impossible.
Ethan laughed.
"Because we haven't conceded more than two goals in any match this season."
"Then can you win the final?"
Ethan shook his head.
"If I could predict every result, I'd be God.
"But I expect the final to be difficult.
"Blackburn have just signed Andy Cole from Manchester United. He's an excellent striker and could cause us serious problems."
If Ethan remembered correctly, Cole had scored the goal that gave Blackburn the first League Cup triumph in their history.
He would have to remind Mourinho when the time came.
"I'll come and watch the final," Eva said.
"Good. I'll ask Mark to arrange a ticket for you," Ethan replied with a smile.
After breakfast, Eva went next door to see Victoria, while Ethan drove to Newton Heath.
The mood around New Manchester United had been exceptionally lively.
The players were especially excited.
For a League Two club to reach the League Cup final would already be an extraordinary achievement.
Winning the trophy would make English football history.
No club from the fourth tier had ever lifted the League Cup.
The winners would also qualify for the following season's UEFA Cup, which would be an immense honour.
Reaching the semi-finals and then defeating Premier League Tottenham 3-0 in the first leg had turned New Manchester United into an overnight favourite with the British media.
The club's unusual history only made the story more attractive.
Newspapers, television stations, and radio programmes competed for interviews and features about the Red Rebels.
Almost overnight, New Manchester United became known throughout Britain.
Everyone at the club was excited by the attention and the opportunities it created.
But the increased exposure also brought pressure.
Mourinho appeared frequently in the newspapers.
During interviews, he claimed that he had already found the answer to Tottenham away from home.
He argued that Hoddle's side lacked pace and aggression.
Hoddle responded by blaming the condition of the City Ground pitch for Tottenham's performance.
He also criticised the behaviour of the home crowd, claiming their hostility had affected his players throughout the match.
Once the tie returned to White Hart Lane, he promised that Tottenham would show Mourinho why they were fourth in the Premier League.
"I should remind Mr. Hoddle that Tottenham dropped to sixth after Sunday's match," Mourinho replied during another interview, laughing with obvious satisfaction.
New Manchester United had also suffered their first defeat of the season the previous day, losing 1-0 away to newly promoted Blackpool.
That result did nothing to interrupt Mourinho's war of words with Hoddle.
...
"Don't you think José is becoming increasingly sharp-tongued?" Walsh asked anxiously.
Ethan was signing several contracts and merely nodded.
"He's always been like that. Is there a problem?"
"I'm worried it might affect the team's preparation."
Ethan stopped writing, placed down his pen, and looked up.
"What do you mean?"
Walsh rose from his seat.
"When we received less attention, José rarely appeared in the newspapers this often.
"Now he's arguing with Hoddle almost every day.
"I'm worried he'll get carried away and distract himself from the team.
"That could become a serious problem."
Ethan smiled and shook his head.
He stood and walked to the office window.
Outside, Mourinho was directing the first-team squad through training.
His voice remained as loud as ever, while the players completed every exercise with their usual precision.
"From what I've heard, he's been working late every night with Cassell, Villas-Boas, and the rest of the staff," Ethan said.
"He's even investigated the weather forecast for London and the condition of the pitch at White Hart Lane.
"The man you see in the newspapers is a performance.
"The real Mourinho is standing out there."
Ethan pointed toward the training ground.
"Andy, as football develops, the demands placed on managers will only become greater.
"We chose José, so we must trust him.
"He knows how to manipulate the media and direct attention toward himself.
"By carrying all that pressure personally, he gives the players a quieter environment in which to prepare."
Walsh was surprised, but the explanation fitted Mourinho's personality.
It reminded him of Ferguson, who also frequently exchanged insults and provocations with opponents through the press.
When Ferguson's teams won, people described it as psychological warfare.
When a manager lost, the same behaviour was criticised as a failure to concentrate on football.
Football was brutally results-driven.
...
After losing to Blackpool, New Manchester United faced a third-round FA Cup replay.
The match proved relatively straightforward.
Their opponents were from the Conference, and Mourinho selected a reserve side that comfortably secured an away victory and a place in the fourth round.
Four days later, however, New Manchester United encountered stubborn resistance away to Colchester United in League Two.
The match exposed the difficulties created by competing on four fronts.
The players were physically and mentally exhausted.
Colchester made full use of home advantage and repeatedly turned the game into a physical contest.
Under normal circumstances, New Manchester United would not have feared such an approach.
This time, however, they struggled badly.
Mourinho was also protecting several regular starters for the upcoming League Cup semi-final.
The heavily rotated lineup lacked cohesion and failed to create any convincing attacking moves.
The match ended 0-0.
New Manchester United had now taken only one point from their first two league matches in January.
Brentford, meanwhile, had returned to excellent form and collected consecutive victories.
The gap between the two clubs began to narrow, causing concern among many supporters.
"Do not sacrifice promotion for the League Cup!"
Ethan responded calmly and publicly backed Mourinho.
In several media interviews, he repeated that he trusted the manager and remained confident New Manchester United would win promotion that season.
Mourinho, by contrast, refused every interview request.
He closed training to the media and prevented reporters from entering Newton Heath.
The outside world interpreted this as a sign that pressure had overwhelmed him and that he was beginning to behave irrationally.
In reality, once the media had been shut out, Mourinho approached Ethan personally and explained his decision.
He appeared relaxed, energetic, and completely confident about the second leg of the League Cup semi-final.
He firmly believed New Manchester United would reach the final.
Seeing that confidence, Ethan believed him.
Mourinho did not disappoint.
At White Hart Lane, he and his players delivered a masterclass in defensive football for Hoddle.
And through their performance, they proved exactly why Mourinho's earlier criticism of Tottenham had been correct.
(To be continued.)