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Wilson: Mourinho is boring and a bully

Jose Mourinho defended his comments © Getty Images

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Former Arsenal goalkeeper Bob Wilson has described Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho as "boring" and a "bully" in an interview with BBC Radio 5 Live.

Mourinho described Arsene Wenger as a "specialist in failure" this week after the Gunners boss had claimed his counterpart was playing down Chelsea's title chances as he had "a fear to fail."

Ahead of Saturday's FA Cup clash with Manchester City, Mourinho had defended his comments, telling ITV: "When he says that I am afraid of failure he is not respecting my past and, because he does not respect this, I do not respect his past. That's my answer. It's an answer that doesn't make me happy, but an answer that I think he deserves."

The spat dates back to Mourinho's previous spell at Stamford Bridge, during which time the Portuguese famously reacted to criticism from Wenger by labelling him "a voyeur", and the sniping has persisted throughout the years.

Wilson, who had worked as the Gunners' goalkeeping coach earlier in Wenger's reign, said it was lamentable that Mourinho's remarks should take attention away from the death of the "gent" Sir Tom Finney, who died on Friday aged 91.

Asked about his recent comments on Wenger, Wilson said: "I think at best it was disrespectful, at worst despicable, to be so dismissive of a genuinely good guy and a footballing man, I think, whose presence in England in 17, 18 years has opened eyes and ears and created wonderfully entertaining sides.

"It's obviously not the first time Mourinho has singled Arsene out. He called him a voyeur, which is a disgusting claim, and thankfully on that occasion he - although belatedly - he did apologise.

"I think it's personal. He is a hugely talented, amazing manager, Mourinho, but a self-publicist and it's mainly inaccurate. I find - at this moment - I find him boring at the moment.

"To say West Ham play 19th-century football, to give [Manchester City boss] Manuel Pellegrini the abuse he has... this is a weekend when we honour a gent - Tom Finney, Sir Tom - and I don't like bullies."

Following the FA Cup defeat to City, Mourinho had defended his recent comments, saying he is always criticised despite Wenger having also made negative remarks.

"It's always the same guy who's the bad guy," he said. "One is polite, the other is the bad guy - okay, okay. I'm not surprised because I know him."

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