Chris Coleman says Jose Mourinho has every reason to be arrogant.
But the Fulham boss will bring the Special One down a peg or two with a can of lager tomorrow.
Chelsea chief Mourinho enjoys entertaining rival managers with a bottle of fine wine after matches.
He will have to slum it when the runaway Premiership leaders visit the poor end of London’s SW6.
As Mourinho heads for back-to-back titles, the man who has become his closest managerial friend in English football is fighting to keep his club in the Premiership and himself in a job.
Fulham have suffered four straight defeats, shipping 14 goals, as they attempt to beat their nearest neighbours for the first time in 30 years.
Coleman insists Mourinho’s record gives him every right to shout his mouth off.
The Welshman, 35, joked: “We played at Stamford Bridge at Christmas — and the wine there is better than what we’ve got.
“But when he comes to our place, Jose can have a can of Carling — the same as everyone else gets!
“This is probably the first time in three years as manager when I’ve really had a bit of hammer.
“Some people are saying I’ve got two matches before I am on the dole but I can’t say that it bothers me.
“Look at Jose Mourinho, he’s getting stick and it’s easier to list what he hasn’t won than what he has won. If it’s good enough for him, it’s good enough for me.
“When he first came over, everyone said he was good for the game because he is outspoken, confident and he’s got a little bit of arrogance.
“In this country we like to see people come over and do well, but not too well and not too arrogant.
“If you tell people how good you are, you have to back that up — and his record backs that up. He does what he says.
“When you thought of Chelsea teams in the past, it was always ‘attack, attack’ and flair football. But he’s been brave to go in and change things.”
Coleman remains confident of keeping his job insisting chairman Mohamed Fayed is not getting twitchy despite Wednesday’s 5-1 trouncing at Liverpool.
The Craven Cottage boss said: “I’ve talked to the chairman since then and he’s like every other chairman, he wants to win.
“It’s that stage of the season where people get nervous but I don’t think the chairman is getting nervous.
“These four or five games have been a killer for us but David Moyes had it, Steve Bruce had it and unfortunately for Mick McCarthy he got the bullet.
“You’ve got to keep a cool head and make sure the players don’t panic.”
