Jose Mourinho has never won a Premier League match at St James' Park in 10 attempts with Chelsea and Manchester United, a record that stands as his worst away form against any club. The newly-appointed Tottenham Hotspur boss will return to Newcastle in May 2020 looking to break the curse.
His former assistant, Jose Morais, attributes the difficulty to the unique atmosphere generated by the home crowd. 'It's a difficult stadium to play in because in certain moments the crowd is giving a kind of superpower to the players,' Morais said. 'A shot on goal, a pass that creates a chance, a winning tackle is enough for the crowd to evaluate that the team wants something.'
Despite the poor results, Mourinho holds a deep affection for the club and its fans, largely due to his bond with Sir Bobby Robson. The pair met in 1992 at Lisbon Airport and worked together at Sporting, Porto, and Barcelona. Mourinho has often spoken of Sir Bobby's influence and the special connection they shared.
Sir Bobby's son, Mark, recalled the friendship: 'Dad could see Mourinho was passionate, hard-working, loyal and determined – all the characteristics you need. That cemented the relationship between the two of them.' Mourinho has described feeling Sir Bobby's spirit whenever he visits St James' Park, where a bust of the legendary manager stands.
