Fenerbahce boss Jose Mourinho has claimed that he rejected the England job on two separate occasions.
The legendary Portuguese coach — who has won 26 major trophies in his career, including two Champions League titles — has spoken out about the roles he has turned down in the past.
According to the 61-year-old Fenerbahce boss the England job was one of those positions, and he has explained why international management has never been one of his main goals.
Mourinho said to HT Spor: “I had national team opportunities in the past but I always turned them down. I received an offer from England twice but I didn’t accept it. It’s not a job that will make me happy. One or two matches a month, travelling to watch players, waiting for tournaments… I have a lot of energy to spend right now. Maybe one day when I’m old and tired, but not today.”
Fenerbahce fans will be glad to hear that the day-to-day duties of an international role don’t appeal to their manager right now. The club hasn’t lifted the Turkish Super Lig title since 2013-14, and Mourinho’s main goal is bringing that trophy back to the eastern side of Istanbul.
Having been defeated by Lille in UEFA Champions League qualifying, Fenerbahce will play their European football in the Europa League this season, starting with a home fixture against Union Saint-Gilloise on September 26. Before then, they’ll be looking to extend their strong start to the domestic campaign, with a huge derby coming up against Galatasaray in just 10 days.
