Jose Mourinho has responded to the rumours that he may return to Old Trafford to replace Erik Ten Hag.
What has Mourinho said?
Mourinho appeared on VIBE with FIVE with Rio Ferdinand. Mourinho was reflecting on his time at Manchester United. He managed them from 2016-2018; winning the Europa League and the League Cup along the way. The Portuguese manager spoke very highly on the two-year-spell.
He said: “I loved it, I loved my time there. I was so proud of going there.
“I was even prouder when a couple of years later I went back as a Sky commentator with Roy Keane and felt the reaction of the crowd. I was like ‘wow’.
“I always felt like we were together in the time I was there, but to have that reaction touched me. I loved my time there.
“The club, the history, everything, to be a coach in the same club as Sir Alex, you have to feel it, you have to feel the pride and responsibility and I felt it.”
“I was very very proud to be there and it was not easy, I don’t think the media helped me. It was not with an intention of hurting, but it was more the people didn’t understand the dimension of the job and the particular difficulties.”
Why was Mourinho sacked?
Mourinho blamed the lack of communication between him, the owners and executives. This won’t come as a surprise to Manchester United fans as they too have a troubled relationship with the Glazers.
Mourinho explained: “The coach was in a hybrid position because in the years before everything was clear with the ownership, Sir Alex and David Gill, that was changing and then the structure was not fluid.
“When people criticise Ed Woodward’s job, I don’t like it because for me he’s a good man, but just a man who was like a fish out of water. Very intelligent, very polite, very correct, but not prepared for the sport side of it.
“For a coach not to have a direct communication with the owners and not to have a structure that shares the same principals and the same ideas was not easy and had consequences at many levels, but I did my best.
“I love the club, I love the fans, I hope that everything goes well, I’m waiting for Man United to become your Man United that I fell in love with.”
Will Mourinho return to the Manchester United job?
To wrap up the interview, the 61-year-old was asked if the rumours are true, of him being lined up to potentially replace Ten Hag.
He replied: “No, not true. No, no, no.”
Mourinho was recently sacked as Roma manager. He has been linked with many manager roles including Bayern Munich. However, Mourinho seems keen on Saudi Arabia.
Just a few months ago, Mourinho said: “I will go to Saudi Arabia in some free time, but I am convinced that I will work there. “I don’t know when, but I am pretty sure of it. No one knows the future, but I will definitely do this [working in Saudi Arabia].”
Manchester United’s form
Manchester United’s form has improved a lot. They’re unbeaten in 2024 so far and are slowly climbing their way up the table. A Champions League place is the dream, but they’ll have to keep pushing to achieve it. The Red Devils are sixth in the league table and six points off the top four.
It seems as though Ten Hag’s job is safe for now, but failure to secure a Champions League place, may add pressure to his position.
Manchester United’s next game is away to Luton on Sunday 18th February. The match will kick-off at 4:30pm and will be broadcasted on Sky Sports Premier League.
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