Former Manchester United and Fenerbahce manager Jose Mourinho recently shared his openness to managing a struggling English club, stating he’s willing to take on a bottom-table team in the Premier League in two years.
Following his team’s Europa League draw against Manchester United on Thursday night, the Portuguese coach expressed his interest in a potential return to England. He explained his intention to leave the European competition scene after his time with Fenerbahce. “The best option for me after Fenerbahce is to join a club that’s not involved in UEFA competitions,” he noted. “So, if there’s an English team near the bottom that needs a coach in two years, I’ll be ready.”
Mourinho, who has managed Chelsea, Real Madrid, and Tottenham Hotspur among others, voiced his frustrations about the officiating in the match, particularly after being shown a red card following a heated exchange. Reflecting on the incident, he sarcastically praised the referee’s ability to observe everything happening on the pitch simultaneously. “He told me that he could see the penalty situation in the box and monitor my behavior on the touchline at the same time,” Mourinho recounted. “I have to congratulate him; his peripheral vision is incredible. That’s why he’s one of the best referees in the world.”
This isn’t Mourinho’s first clash with officials; he received a four-game European ban following Roma’s loss to Sevilla in the 2023 Europa League final, an event he referenced while explaining why he won’t appeal this red card decision. “If I appeal, I’ll probably get six months instead. Since the Sevilla-Roma final, there’s really nothing else to do,” he admitted.
The match saw Manchester United score first through Christian Eriksen in the 15th minute. Fenerbahce then leveled in the 49th minute when Youssef En-Nesyri headed in a cross from Allan Saint-Maximin. Despite this draw keeping Fenerbahce unbeaten with five points from three games, Mourinho felt his team deserved a win. “My team played exceptionally,” he commented. “We faced a higher-level squad and still held our own, even finishing the game with players out of their usual positions. Our performance was extraordinary, and I couldn’t have asked for more.”
Mourinho, who led Manchester United to a Europa League victory in 2017, took charge of Fenerbahce earlier this year and has been making strides with the Turkish club ever since.
