Mourinho for Ireland? That's what Mario Rosenstock will ask when he meets the Chelsea boss today, he tells Mary Hannigan
It's not as if his life has been without its successes the past few years - from his increasingly celebrated Gift Grub sketches and impressions on Today FM's Ian Dempsey Breakfast Show to his portrayal of Roy Keane in the phenomenon that was I, Keano - but Mario Rosenstock insists that the moment he heard Chelsea's Portuguese manager Jose Mourinho describe him as "amazing" on television last weekend "was probably the best moment of my entire existence".
"This is the guy who stands there chewing gum in his Armani suit, looking like a million dollars - and he calls me amazing? I don't think you can beat that," he says. "I recorded it on DVD, VHS, MP3, KMS, BLS, BLT. I can assure you all my progenies will know about this."
So life can get no better? "No," he says, emphatically. "I've basically climaxed, I've shot my bolt."
Today, though, there will be a sequel to the best moment of Rosenstock's existence, when he will get to meet Mourinho, the man who famously introduced himself to English football, when he took over at Chelsea, as "the special one". He's not modest, but such has been the level of success he has experienced in his managerial career to date that 42-year-old José Mario dos Santos Mourinho Félix hasn't had much cause to be modest.
And The Special One is the name of the song, aka José and his Amazing Technicolor Overcoat, that brought Rosenstock to Mourinho's attention, the former's impression of the latter, in the uproariously funny Gift Grub song, proving as popular with the Chelsea manager as it did with Today FM's listeners. When asked about the song, on Sky Sports last Saturday, Mourinho suggested Rosenstock was a bit special himself.
"These things just escape on to the internet, websites pick up on them, they send them on to other websites and suddenly it turns into a viral thing," says Rosenstock. "I heard that Ray Wilkins [the former England footballer] got hold of it and gave it to BBC Radio 5 Live, then they started playing it and that's where Mourinho heard it. He got his people to ring us to ask for some copies.
"Then I wrote a second Mourinho song and he got his people to ring again. They said he loved it even more and that he has it in the car on permanent play, plays it for his kids."
That second song, the Mourinho character singing his own version of I Say A Little Prayer, with Damien Duff, hilariously, on backing vocals, prompted a phone call from Simon Greenberg, Chelsea's director of communications.
"He said the manager - they call him 'the manager', never 'José' or 'Mr Mourinho' - would really like to have me over," says Rosenstock. "So I'm going over, meeting Mourinho and Roman Abramovich [Chelsea's billionaire owner], going to training, meeting the players. Afterwards we're having dinner and then I'm doing a stint with Mourinho - I'll have my songs ready."
AS A LIVERPOOL supporter, Rosenstock concedes that his trip to Chelsea today smacks of disloyalty of the quite treacherous kind, but he just can't help his fondness for the Chelsea manager.
"I'm just a great fan of charisma and this guy is the business," he says. "You cannot but like him: he is different, he says things bluntly, he answers questions so candidly, which is so refreshing for everyone - and he can be so funny. He's just a joy to do on Gift Grub."
So, how is he feeling about meeting The Man? "Just really excited. I'm not as nervous as I would be for a corporate gig, 500 people, all worried about their clients, not easy to win over. With this you've got a personal invite from the most famous football man in the world, you're being welcomed with open arms."
While in London, Rosenstock, patriotically, intends asking Mourinho if he would be interested in the Irish job. "I'll say 'just give us a day and a half a month and that will get us to the semi-finals of the World Cup'."
Money, though, could be an issue, admits Rosenstock, as Abramovich is somewhat more affluent than the Football Association of Ireland.
"Although I read earlier in the week that I'm being flown over on his private jet; I'm not, it's just Aer Lingus economy, but he's picking up the bill. I haven't asked for any money for this. Maybe when I arrive back in Ireland I'll find that a million pounds sterling has been lodged in my account, in which case I'd send it back, with 'This is Anfield' stamped on it." When José Met Mario? It will be worth recording on DVD, VHS, MP3, KMS, BLS and BLT.
• An archive of Gift Grub sketches can be heard on www.todayfm.com