Jose Mourinho gave an exclusive interview to Portuguese station Radio e Televisao de Portugal where he discussed football, the future, and Andre Villas Boas.
By Adrian Collins
With reports running wild that Jose Mourinho is set to leave Madrid in the coming months, all eyes in Portugal and elsewhere were on Mourinho’s exclusive interview with Portugal’s RTE equivalent RTP, and our own Portuguese speaking JOE (let’s call him João) got on the case to see what the craic was.
Firstly, Mourinho was quick to deny those claims that he’s signed anything to state that he’s leaving Madrid, but he did give his interviewer, Hugo Gilberto, a little hint at where his future lay.
When asked if he might opt to manage in France, he stressed that he would not go anywhere if “I can’t communicate”, making it look more likely that he’s headed somewhere where he might have already been, and we’re taking an educated guess at England.
While the Portuguese was never going to give too much away, he did also speak about Andre Villas Boas, and dismissed the idea of him as merely a “mini-Mourinho”.
“I don’t see any of me in him” said Mourinho, but added that while he realises there’s a “Jose Mourinho effect” on Portuguese managers as a result of his profile, Villas Boas has had doors opened to him which others haven’t.
He reignited the old rivalry with Rafael Benitez stating that the Spaniard had indeed ordered that photos of Mourinho be taken down around the Inter grounds and training facilities, which we’re sure the current Chelsea gaffer will be thrilled to hear.
He also courted controversy by claiming that the FIFA award for the best manager had some irregularities in the voting, suggesting that Spain coach Vicente Del Bosque may not have won legitimately.
Jose claimed that he’d received phone calls from a few people saying they’d voted for him but their votes had shown up as being for Del Bosque, which is why he chose not to attend.
Mourinho also added that he though Ronaldo “had to” win the Ballon D’Or last year, being the decisive player in a record league win for Real and a good run in the Euros stating “football is a team game”, perhaps taking a jibe at the little Argentine in Barcelona.
In a frank interview, he also talked politics, the economic crisis and his life in general, admitting that he’s a conservative and that he finds it upsetting that the people who cause the economic downturn can live in peace, without problems. The man has a heart, who knew?
LISTEN: You Must Be Jokin’ podcast – listen to the latest episode now!
