Jose Mourinho is renowned for his charismatic and headstrong approach to management and this former Chelsea star has recalled a peculiar incident involving a table
Ben Crawford GAU Writer
07:00, 24 Jan 2026
Shaun Wright-Phillips speaks on In The Mixer
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Shaun Wright-Phillips shared a comic anecdote involving Jose Mourinho(Image: In The Mixer)
Shaun Wright-Phillips recalled a bizarre incident from his time at Chelsea when manager Jose Mourinho fly-kicked a table in the dressing room. The English winger signed for the Portuguese head coach in 2005 for £21million.
Wright-Phillips, son of Arsenal icon Ian Wright, had come through at Manchester City and later also played for QPR in the top flight. His time at Stamford Bridge lasted just over three years.
Under Mourinho, the winger won the FA Cup and Premier League. And he reminisced about one of 'The Special One's' outbursts that saw a table drop-kicked and drinks fly across the changing room.
"We came into the dressing room after a bad half," Wright-Phillips said on In The Mixer, brought to you by Sky Bet. "I think I was subbed in that game. But we were all in there because nobody was allowed to go and warm up yet.
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"Everybody had to be there at half-time. It was weird because Jose was in his office and we were all just sitting there and nothing was happening.
"It was quite quiet. Then he walked past as if he'd gone to the toilet and all of a sudden he came sprinting back in and fly-kicked the table. All the drinks went everywhere!
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Wright-Phillips signed for Chelsea in 2005(Image: Getty)
"I just looked on because I was still new at the club. I'm like, 'What just happened?' Then he just exploded… I quite like that though. I like that from a manager. Because he's showing us he cares.
"I'd rather a manager like that than the one that's quiet and talking behind your back and not explaining and not helping you get better. He would just tell you as it is. Players would crumble at that I think now."
Wright-Phillips recalled one incident when Mourinho's no-nonsense approach saw him and team-mate Joe Cole taken off inside half an hour during a match against Fulham.
"If you weren't pulling your weight, he would walk around and say, 'You were s**t.' And so on," said Wright-Phillips. "There was a situation at Fulham where I wouldn't necessarily say me and Joe Cole played badly.
Chelsea celebrate their first Premier League title in 2005
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Mourinho won his first Premier League title with Chelsea 21 years ago(Image: Getty)
"But we just didn't get the ball. He took us off after 25 minutes in the first half. I was laughing out of like, 'I can't believe this just happened.' Joe was raging.
"Coley was raging. But I had a little snigger, a chuckle, because I'm like, 'It's hurting me, but I've just got to hold this one.' He said that it was tactical, but it worked because we didn't lose the game. So then how do you argue with it?"
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