Mourinho: Lots of poets in football, but poets don't win titles, I do

The Red Devils boss guided his team to a tactically shrewd win over Ajax and he wasted little time in rounding on his detractors

Jose Mourinho has delivered a thinly veiled dig at his critics following Manchester United's Europa League triumph, suggesting that football's 'poets' don't win titles.
Goals in either half from Paul Pogba and Henrikh Mkhitaryan were enough to see the Red Devils to a historic victory over a youthful Ajax side in Stockholm as Mourinho clinched the trophy for the first time in the Old Trafford club's history.
Man Utd's Europa League celebrations
The Portuguese has endured plenty of criticism this season, with United finishing sixth in the Premier League and appearing unconvincing en route to the final. Indeed, Ajax captain Davy Klaassen continued that trend, by suggesting that Mourinho's side were 'lucky' to win.
However, after concluding his maiden campaign with three trophies and securing Champions League football for next season, the former Real Madrid boss was happy to take aim at his detractors.
"We always thought that we could win the Europa League and we are very happy," Mourinho told BT Sport. "We played intelligently, we did it in a comfortable way. We were much stronger than them.
"If you want to press the ball all the time, you don't play short. If you are dominant in the air you go long. There are lots of poets in football but poets, they don't win many titles.
"We knew where they were better than us, we knew where we were better than them, we tried to kill their good qualities and exploit their weaknesses. We did that very well from the first minute and we totally deserve the trophy."
Mourinho admitted that his first term at Man United was his "most difficult season as a manager" and says, with three trophies under his belt, he will now take a deserved rest.
Pogba leads Man Utd to emotional triumph
"We preferred to reach the Champions League this way than finish fourth, third or second," he continued.
"We got the objective, we are back in the Champions League by winning a title, an important title. The club now has every title in world football. We fought hard for this since the beginning.
"We totally deserved the win. I am so happy to see the [injured] boys with the crutches with the trophy and now I am on holiday. I don't want to see any international friendlies, I am selfish. I can't do it.
"For me, enough is enough. It has been a very hard last few months, we were short of numbers.
"Three trophies in one season and the Champions League. I am very happy in my most difficult season as a manager. It is the end of a very difficult season but a very, very good season."

The Europa League joins the Community Shield and EFL Cup in Mourinho's trophy cabinet after his first season at Old Trafford and he will look to build on that success in the Champions League next season.