‘I Was Hours Away’ – Jose Mourinho Came Dangerously Close To Taking The England Job

Chris Wright

28th, March 2011

10 Comments

By Chris Wright

Jose Mourinho has admitted that he was ‘hours away’ from taking the England job when Steve McClaren was relieved of his duties back in 2007 – and that he would have taken the job were it not for a last minute change of heart/moment of stark realisation.

In an interview with L’Equipe, Mourinho said:

“I was hours away – I almost signed up for the England national team – but at the last minute I began thinking, ‘I am going to coach a national side, there will be one match a month and the rest of the time I will be in my office or overseeing matches.

“Then I’ll have to wait until the summer to compete in a European Championship or a World Cup’ –  no, it wasn’t for me.

“So at the last moment I pulled back, preferring to wait for the right job to come along, a good club, a challenge that could motivate me. That was Inter.”

Alas, what could have been eh? Fights with his superiors at the FA over forcing through an English passport for John Obi Mikel, John Terry made honorary England captain for life with ‘no-givesies-backsies’, ultra-cautious 1-0 victories from now until the end of time, no Shaun Wright-Phillips ever again…bliss.

Reckon he’d have done a better job than Fabio Capello? Or is that like asking whether or not the Pope goes potty in the woods?

Posted in International football

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10 Comments

  1. syndex says:

    probably could have made it to the final

  2. Freddie Mercury's Ghost says:

    Say what you want about his tactics but he he gets his players behind him. We would never have beaten that German side but we’d have probably played better throughout the tournament. Maybe won the group and then not had to play Germany at all.

  3. Rich says:

    he would have given the players and the fans pride…or would’ve failed because he wouldn’t be allowed to buy in, which seems to be how he makes teams great

    but the point is it would have been one or the other, no mediocrity inbetween

  4. that would be joses real test , I feel the national managers have the biggest challange, because their pool of options is reduced dramatically

  5. go mou says:

    buy in? yes thats how he made porto the uefa cup and champions leagues champions in back to back seasons. we all know that port are owned by a mega rich arab oil tycoon with money. 1-0 victoies? his teams are always in the top 3 teams with most goals in the standings.

  6. DJ says:

    He was never going to take the job, he just flirted with it to satisfy his own ego so he could turn the job down.

  7. Kraut says:

    Haha. I am from Germany. Pretty funny how awe-struck you are about this German national side

  8. Mourinho is top class all he has total respect from all his players. He’s getting alot of stick from the press out in Spain at the moment but he gives as good as he gets and he winds them up a treat!

    I think he could do a great job at a top Premiership side again before maybe taking the England Or Portugal job.

  9. Brian Tony says:

    He is great coarch of the decade and all his effort has to be appreciated by everyone.

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