Jose Mourinho: Former Manchester United and Chelsea boss ‘full of fire’ as he plots return to football
Jose Mourinho admits he cannot enjoy his time away from football because he is so eager to return.
The former Manchester United and Chelsea boss has been out of work since he was sacked by the Red Devils in December 2018.
He has not been short of options, with the 56-year-old rejecting and offer from Chinese Super League club Guangzhou Evergrande worth £88million a year.
But Mourinho insists that while it has been difficult to say ‘no’, he must wait for the right opportunity.
He told Sky Sports News: “This is basically the first time I have time to think, the first time I am in Setubal at the end of July or beginning of August in more than 20 years.
“I have some time to think, to rethink, to analyse and what I feel is exactly that ‘Ze’ (Mourinho’s nickname as a boy) is full of fire.
“My friends tell me ‘enjoy your time, enjoy your July, enjoy your August, enjoy what you never had’. Honestly, I can’t enjoy. I am not happy enough to enjoy.
“I miss my football, I have the fire, I have a compromise with myself, with people that love me, with so many fans that I have around the world, so many people that I inspired.
“Ze has to be Ze and Ze until the last day, but I don’t see the last day because my next move will be like the start. I don’t feel it’s just one more year in accumulation of how many years I’ve worked, how many titles I’ve won. That is history, that is the museum.
“My future will start in my next move and, as I was saying, it looks a little bit ridiculous with so many beautiful things around me and so many things I didn’t [have] for so many years, but I can’t really enjoy my free time.”
The self-proclaimed ‘Special One’ is also understood to have rejected an offer to manage Benfica in his home country – and he told Sky Sports News his next job will be in one of Europe’s top five leagues.
“The most difficult thing for me is saying ‘no’ to the possibilities,” he added.
“I had to work, because, inside of me, I [always] have that impulse of wanting to work. [If] I have an opportunity to work, [I want to say] ‘let’s work’. To say ‘no’ is very, very, very, very difficult.
“Why do I say ‘no’? I say ‘no’ because it’s not the level of challenge that I want. But, with all respect to the possibilities I have had and the clubs involved, I want the right to choose the people who are ‘Mourinhista’ – like people say in Portugal, Spain and Italy – ‘Mourinhista’ is someone who is a fan.
“The ‘Mourinhistas’ want me where I belong, so, for me now, it’s not a question of, ‘okay I have this offer and I’m going to take it’. I have to be patient and wait for the right opportunity and the right opportunity is one that is at the same size and the same level that I am as a manager.
“It is the most difficult thing because I have the impulse during this period, so many times to say ‘Yes, I go’. But no, I cannot go. I cannot go. I have to wait for the exact right one.
“I [have] never told who [is the right one]. I never do that. Lots of respect for the people that think I am the right guy for them and I never do that.”
Honours list
Mourinho has won an incredible amount of trophies in his managerial career
Portuguese league x2
Premier League x3
Serie A x2
LaLiga x1
Champions League x2
Europa League x2
League Cup x4
FA Cup x1
Coppa Italia x 1
Portuguese Cup x1
Copa del Rey x1