Comedian Mario laments the loss of a very ‘special’ Gift
As José Mourinho was clearing his desk, packing his mohair coat and saying goodbye to the Stamford Bridge tea-ladies, the man behind Today FM’s Gift Grub impersonations revealed that he was “devastated” by the news.
“I’m in mourning at the moment. I was actually in the taxi on the way into work and the taxi-man told me and I thought he was completely taking the p*** out of me. I’m very sad for José, and I think a lot of people will be.”
Yesterday was two years to the day since the comic was summoned to England to perform for the Chelsea staff after a recording of Any Team Will Do (José and his Amazing Technicolour Overcoat) spread like wildfire through the web and as far as Stamford Bridge.
“José heard it and thought it was good and it took him by surprise. Then he decided, ‘I’m going to bring the guy who did it over to perform for the team’. Four days later I was on a plane over to Liverpool where Chelsea were playing Everton.”
After hearing some of Rosenstock’s impersonations — and his two Mourinho songs — the then manager sent his players off to bed and stayed up chatting for two hours with his voice double.
“He was very, very interested in what you were saying and very interested in how it worked, how I did all the voices.”
Mourinho had a high opinion of the Irish Sunderland manager, who was still on the Manchester United playing staff back then. “He thought Roy was untouchable and should have been the next manager of Ireland.”
In the wake of yesterday’s announcement of the Portuguese legend’s departure, many have said that, for better or worse, the Premier League was losing one of its great characters.
That’s a view shared by Rosenstock: “I’m very sorry to see him go. He was a great source of comedy. He might have only been on [Gift Grub] about once a month but we did get a lot of good material out of him. Effectively one of my outlets is gone...”
But Mourinho may pop up again: “I secretly hope that Mohammed Al Fayed [owner of nearby Fulham FC] will give him a billion pounds and he can avenge this. From what I know of him, he seems to love London and his kids do too.”
Otherwise, there could be other outlets for both talents: “The ideal situation would be for him to take a €4.5 million pay drop and take Steve Staunton’s job, or for Roy Keane to take over at Chelsea with José at Tottenham or Man United.”
“Please don’t call me arrogant, but I’m European champion and I think I’m a special one.”
— Introducing himself to the English press after arriving from Porto in 2004.
“If I wanted to have an easy job... I would have stayed at Porto — beautiful blue chair, the Uefa Champions League trophy, God, and after God, me.”
— Making a mockery of those who suggest he is big-headed.
“For me, pressure is bird flu. I’m feeling a lot of pressure with the problem in Scotland. It’s not fun and I’m more scared of it than football.”
— Insisting his side wouldn’t catch a cold as Manchester Utd breathed down their necks.
“Look at my haircut. I am ready for the war.”
— Unveiling his new Action Man haircut (to the delight of the ladies).
“She is the real manager of family life. You are the star. Outside, here you are not a star.”
— Mourinho admits that it’s his wife who wears the trousers at home.
“It all depends on my wife. If I am at home, yes, I will see it. But maybe my wife would like to go somewhere. I would like to see it — I like to see football and it is a big game. But maybe I will have no permission.”
— Waiting to hear whether he’d be allowed to watch Arsenal v Man Utd.
“My wife is in Portugal with the dog. The dog is with my wife so the city of London is safe, the big threat is away.”
— Reassuring the population that his runaway Yorkshire terrier had left the country with his wife.
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