'Discreet and calm' Jose Mourinho reveals why he looked so miserable after Manchester United's EFL Cup win

Jose Mourinho has revealed why he looked so nonplussed after Manchester United’s EFL Cup win, saying that he did not want to place himself at the centre of attention and detract from the achievements of his players.

United beat Southampton 3-2 in a thrilling cup final to seal Jose Mourinho’s first major trophy win at the club.

But – in stark contrast to his jubilant celebrations after trophy wins at previous clubs – Mourinho was unusually reticent as his players lifted the trophy at Wembley, collecting his medal with a frown and quickly disappearing down the tunnel.

Mourinho has since reassured supporters that he did savour the victory, but that he concealed his emotions in public before “sharing in the joy” back in the dressing room.

“Of course I enjoyed winning the EFL Cup, I really enjoyed it,” he said in an interview with France Football.

“I can conceal [my emotions] and concealing is a way of controlling. After the final of the EFL Cup I was very happy, but did I show it? I am not sure at all. In public, I did not want to put myself at the centre of an exploit that belonged to the players and the fans, that was all.

“But in the dressing room it was something else. There, I added a human aspect to my feelings and I shared in the joy.

“In the final, there were moments where I was not happy with the play that we were producing but I tried to understand the context, the circumstances and be unmoved. And then I tried to transmit this mindset to the players. So in that area, I am better than before.”

Mourinho is confident that he is now a far more “peaceful” man than when he first arrived in English fooball in 2004, believing that he has matured and is now far more capable of disconnecting from football.

And in the light of his well-publicised touchline spats with Middlesbrough and Chelsea, he also claims that Mourinho the man is far better at controlling his temper than Mourinho the manager.

“Mourinho the man tries to be the opposite of the manager. He tries to be discreet, calm. To find a way to disconnect,” he said.

“I can come home and not watch a game of football, not think about football. I can do it. At the beginning of my career, I couldn’t. I was permanently connected, 24 out of 24 hours. I had to find a form of maturity. Today, I am happy within my personality as a man.

“I have matured, I am more peaceful. A win no longer means the moon, a loss no longer means hell. And I think that I am in the process of transferring this calmness to those who are working with me, my players.

“I still have the same ambitions as before. The same involvement, the same professionalism. But I am more in control of my emotions.”

Mourinho’s newfound sense of calm will certainly be tested in the month of April, with a hastily rescheduled fixture list meaning the club are set to play seven Premier League fixtures and a two-legged Europa League tie over just 30 days.

They will play three matches on a Thursday evening in the month – including the rearranged Manchester derby – as they continue to fight in the Europa League as well as for a spot in the Premier League’s top four.