Mourinho seeks Premier League return, declaring he ‘cannot’ lose the desire while ‘London is home’
At 61 years of age, Jose Mourinho has experienced a host of different clubs and cultures across a career that spans over 24 years.
The latest quest for Mourinho is managing in Turkey’s capital of Istanbul, leading one of the country’s biggest teams in Fenerbache.
The capital club came close to winning the Turkish Super League last season, finishing second on 99 points under former manager Ismail Kartal, though his failure to guide Fenerbache to success extended their period to 10 years without a league title.
That is the very reason Mourinho was brought in with the hope that his past triumphs can provide the club with that extra bit of tactical nous that could see them over the line this time out.
Mourinho still has that hunger and desire for silverware within, despite it not being the Premier League trophy, a title he lifted on three separate occasions in his time in English football.
Mourinho said: “The desire? I cannot lose it. Because if you lose it, it is better to stop. I always remember and I tell my young assistants so many times, I go with Real Madrid to Old Trafford in the Champions League quarter final, and Sir Alex invited me to his office.
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“We were looking to each other quite relaxed but we were not relaxed and I asked him: ‘[Has it] changed with the age, with the years? Has the feeling changed?’ and he told me: ‘No. [It] doesn’t change.’ My feelings are exactly the same so I think that’s a good thing.”
After winning the Conference League and losing the Europa League final as Roma boss, working outside of Europe is something new to Mourinho. He enjoys living on the European side of the city, though he travels across the Bosphorus to the Asian half as that is where Fenerbache are based.
Under Mourinho’s guidance, Fener have lost just once this season, and spoke proudly after a draw against Manchester United in the Europa League last week.
It was a game where Mourinho was sent to the stands after his usual touchline antics, pleading for a penalty late in the second half though the referee deemed he had crossed the line. Not for the first time in his career and it certainly won’t be the last.
After failed stints at Manchester United and Tottenham, Mourinho still has ambitions to manage in England again.
He revealed: “I had three clubs in England and I loved it. By the social point of view, I have been so lucky to live in so many beautiful countries and cities but my family lives in London. London is home so one day I have to be back. Unless nobody wants me!”
