Fired Chelsea Portuguese boss, Jose Mourinho. PHOTO/File
UNITED KINGDOM, May 13 – Reports that Jose Mourinho will become Manchester United’s next manager have been doing the rounds for months, but the Portuguese tactician is still not sure if he will replace Louis van Gaal at Old Trafford.
Mourinho has been without a job since he was sacked by Chelsea in December, and with United set to miss out on a spot in the Champions League, speculation continues to mount that he will replace Van Gaal at the helm of the Manchester giants.
However, the Red Devils’ hierarchy are yet to give any indication as to whether or not they will look to retain the services of the Dutchman.
“I don’t know. I know nothing about it really,” Mourinho told Associated Press after he coached a FIFA Legends team that lost 9-8 to a Mexican All-Star team in Mexico City.
He joked: “I don’t have a club and I was waiting for these guys [the FIFA Legends] to win the match to give me a hand but because I lost the match [9-8] it’s even more difficult to get the club.”
Having had a taste of being in the dugout again, Mourinho admitted that he misses coaching, and remains confident that he will have a job next season.
“Of course I miss [it],” he said. “In July I will be back. So we are in May. May to July is nothing. I keep enjoying my life which I’m doing, keep enjoying my family. But in July I am back.”
The 53-year-old added that he would prefer to find a new role sooner rather than later so that he can put his plans into action prior to the start of new season.
“It’s difficult because when you get a new club in this period normally the clubs they did already their work,” Mourinho said. “I give you an example. I’m not the Chelsea manager but I organised the Chelsea pre-season in many aspects because I did that 10 months ago.
“Clubs have their commercial, marketing departments always involved in everything. When a new manager arrives in May, June it’s very difficult to touch in some points but we know that.”
Even if Mourinho is hired closer to the start of the new season, he doesn’t believe it will have an impact on his plans to sign new players.
“Scouting is done during the year,” he said. “It’s not even a competition like the Euros where you are going to find by miracle some new talents.
“We know everybody, so it’s just a question of trying to choose the players that your team needs because the scouting, with our structures, we do it for many, many players.”
