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What Jose Mourinho Did When Marko Arnautovic Turned Up Five Hours Early For Training

What Jose Mourinho Did When Marko Arnautovic Turned Up Five Hours Early For Training

Mourinho watched the West Ham man in action for Austria last night...

Josh Lawless

Josh Lawless

Marko Arnautovic is being strongly linked with a £50 million move to Manchester United, with Jose Mourinho watching the West Ham forward in action for Austria in a friendly.

The pair worked with one other for a year when they were both at Inter Milan and though it didn't go so well for Arnautovic, he was responsible for a truly incredible training ground story.

The former Stoke man, on loan in Italy from from Dutch side FC Twente in the 2009/10 season, accidentally turned up to training FIVE Hours early and was rewarded by his manager in hilariously brilliant fashion.

Image: PA
Image: PA

And in a cracking interview with the Daily Mail, Arnautovic himself revealed that he was late for training and team meetings on a regular basis.

"We were at Abu Dhabi for pre-season with Inter in 2009. I overslept for breakfast. Late number one.

"Then there was the team meeting. The hotel was huge and my room was on the 75th floor. I am waiting for the lift and I press and I press and still I have got seven minutes so I am ok. But then I still didn't make it. Disaster. Number two.

"Then before we meet for the game it was happening again and I was like: 'He is going to kill me'.

"So then we fought a little bit and I was out of the team that day, training on my own."

Arnautovic sweetened things over with Mourinho but it wasn't actually his intention. On one day in 2010, he turned up to training five hours earlier before the session was due to start, only because he thought they were training in the morning, rather than the afternoon.

Image: PA
Image: PA

Mourinho couldn't resist applauding and laughing when he saw the former Stoke striker turn up prematurely and gave him his watch as a token of his appreciation.

"Back in Milan I thought we were training in the morning and I went in just perfect," he added.

"There were no cars there. We were actually training in the afternoon that day!'

"Mourinho is there with his staff and he stands up and starts applauding and laughing. He said, 'You are my man. You come here five hours before training. I love you! Here, take my watch'. I still have that watch in my house."

Incredible stuff. Arnautovic made just three appearances for the San Siro club and felt the wrath of Mourinho, who questioned his attitude and application.

Image: PA
Image: PA

The pair reuniting at Old Trafford would well and truly bring things full circle, with Arnautovic potentially joining the esteemed list of players to have worked with "the Special One".

Nemanja Matic and Romelu Lukaku are the two most recent examples.

Featured Image Credit:

Topics: Football News, Jose Mourinho, Football, Manchester United, West Ham United, Inter Milan