Though Sir Alex Ferguson is ruling himself out of retirement in the near future, Inter Milan's super confident 'Special One' isn't ruling himself out of contention when United's most successful ever boss decides to hand over the reins.
Mourinho brings his Serie A leaders for the Champions League clash at Old Trafford on Wednesday with the tie locked at 0-0 from the first leg in Italy.
It is the first time the Portuguese manager has been in an Old Trafford duel with Fergie since he engineered a 1-1 Premier League draw with Chelsea in November 2006.
With his record against the Reds and two titles with Chelsea among his impressive CV, the 46-year-old is a strong candidate if the United vacancy should arise, though Real Madrid are also eyeing him up as a possible Bernabeu replacement for Juande Ramos.
"I have big jobs left in me that is for sure - but I can't commit to which ones," he said.
"If you want me to rule out ever being United manager I can't.
Future
"Special clubs need special managers so in theory it could work, but nobody knows what the future is in football.
"The England national team wanted me as coach and that is the biggest job in England, so I am sure when Sir Alex retires they will look at the best managers in the world and I certainly fall into that category.
"How much time I can't say because Sir Alex doesn't look like he is ready to stop. But when you are managing a winning team you don't want to stop - and if you have health, then there is no reason to."
Mourinho's assessment on Fergie is spot on and the Reds boss agrees, saying: "I'm not going to even consider retirement. You might have to carry me out of here. You're prepared to go through the agony as long as you end up on top.
"I can switch off really easily now and it's important that you do that.
"I can go home and watch a film, read a book or even watch a game - which I actually find very relaxing.
"I can go and sit and enjoy other matches. I made a big decision years ago to get involved in other things, like horse racing, that took me away from football. That was a really good thing for me.
"Before that, I was on the phone every night to scouts and this person and that person. You can get obsessed and end up nearly killing yourself."
Do you think Mourinho will ever be in charge at United? Have your say.
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Reading Jose Mourinho's comments over the weekend, I'm wondering that as well as him not being as special as he'd like to think, if he's entirely deluded too.
He claims that when he was in this country, Chelsea always rivalled United. He claims it's embarrassing that Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal are so many points behind now and if he was in this league, his team could be ahead of United.
Has he blocked out his last season in the Premiership? The title was won two weeks before the end, meaning Chelsea had to applaud the likes of Dong, Kieran Lee and Chris Eagles on to the Stamford Bridge pitch, the Guard of Honour welcome for the Champions. United had lead the table all season and in the March, United had gone 12 points ahead (Chelsea had a game in hand) following our 1-0 win at Anfield. On the day the title was won, we were 8 points clear. Who's embarrassed?
For years he's spoken rubbish in the press and for whatever reason, this country laps it up. But enough is enough. He's a good manager but he's not special, and he's certainly not special enough to manage Manchester United.
I'd rather Blanc, Bilic or O'Neil and a whole host of other managers than Mourinho. We know what we're getting with him and whatever trophies he might win with the squad Ferguson has built, I'd like to see someone else given a go to achieve the same in an entertaining way, and I mean on the pitch, not in the press conference after the game!
For me he and O'Neil are my only choices. With maybe Bruce and Moyes also possibilities.
Mourinho is certainly the only foreign manager I would entertain.
Guys
we have to be realistic,whilst he is obviously a good manager do his teams play the style of football we know and love at OT, the answer is no!!He suits the Italian game it is attritional, like his Chelsea side were, hard to beat. They went out not to lose were as MU go out to Win in style, good free flowing football.
I am not sure who the next manager will be but I really hope not Jose
Well said Danny!
Jose would be poison for United.
Spot on danny wilmslow. Great post. I wouldn't have Moaneeio for a gold clock. How long does he last at a club? How long at a club before he falls out with someone at that club? He got shifted out of Chelsea because of a fall out when the hirearchy questioned just how special is he. The emphasis with Mourinhio is Jose nothing else. Not the club, the team the players no one but himself. He might entertain off the pitch but not on it where it matters. No way Jose. SAF is here for a good few years yet if his health stays okay and he is in good shape right now. I know that he has admitted that he is in the penalty shoot out of his career but this will be the longest penalty shoot out in soccer history. Hopefully.
I worry about Mourinho's staying power to be honest and equally importantly his commitment to developing young local players which to me is hugely important. I prefer O'Neil myself but whoever takes over, there will be the inevitable exodus of a couple of high profile players which will lead to a dip in performances. For me Ferguson is irreplaceable due in the main to his winning mentality and the pyschological hold he has on so many of our top players and he has become such a dominant force at United that we should expect a period of a relative lack of success when he finally departs. In the meantime we should celebrate each passing week of success that Ferguson can squeeze out of the club.
As I posted on another thread I think Mourinho would be a great interim manager (for 3 or 4 years) because he has the ego to handle replacing SAF, he could pass the reigns onto somebody who would be here for the long term (O'Neil would be great) who could hopefully work without the spectre of Fergie looming over him making his life nigh on impossible - lessons should be learnt from when Sir Matt retired.
Cant stand the guy, I would rather have wenger than him, he has never brought youngsters up through a team,he's good at taking over clubs with a good squad and piles of money and acting like it's all down to him take away roman's riches and he wouldn't have won anything at chelsea.
I'd rather Kevin Keegan than Mourinho. Which would end my Keegan for England campaign. But you can't have everything, unless you're the current Manchester United squad.
I think the Glazers should invest in a DeLorean and a few flex capacitors...then go back to 1992 and bring the younger Alex Ferguson back to the future 2009. It works for me!
We played out a goalless draw at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza despite creating so many goal-scoring opportunities However even though Milan completed the great escaped United will be too strong for the Nerazzurri at the Theatre of Dreams
"We had so many good chances to be in a better position for the second leg"I still can't believe we are actually under some pressure at Old Trafford because of the away goals rule. But United proved at San Siro that we could impose our style against a team like Inter. Even though not even Mourinos bullshit will save them.
"This is the Champions League and anything can happen, ie the Porto game, but I still believe we will qualify for the next round in front of 76.000 supporters."
United will retain our trophy,
"No disrespect to other sides but United have an amazing group of players and almost all of them were here last season when the team won the Champions League.
"It's not easy, though, and apparently the last team to defend a European Cup successfully was AC Milan in the 1990s.
Gordon Hill Fanclub - I think that would be the smartest move :)
debate it all day long & people do but the bottom line is, there aren't many guys out there who could/would follow SaF. As has been mentioned, when a dictator leaves, it all falls apart....unless you have another dictator. He is the man, like him or not!
I think he could be a very good manager for us. Controversial opinion I know but it stems from how he knits his squads together with a winning mentality. As for only being able to work with money, I don't buy that really. Porto did not have the funds that we have. The team he inherited at Chelsea was predominately bought by Ranieri and although he made some expensive additions that was due to the Chelsea being Chelsea therefore lots of cash factor. I think he would retain the attacking flavour we have always had. Whenever Sir Alex does retire whoever does take over will be on a hiding to nothing, yes remember what happened to Wilf but that was 40 years ago and this is a business primarily now much as we don't wish it to be. The future of the 'club' is more important nowadays so having someone who will not crack and lead the club back to the depths of mid-table Citeh territory has to be avoided. Personality will go a long way to acheiving that. Also, I am not convinced bu O'Neill's capabilities. Who cannot win the SPl if in charge of either Old Firm club? Strachan, McCleish, Smith - none of those are being mentioned but all have similar records in the SPL to O'Neill.
Danny, Wilmslow, a top post. And I agree with your sentiments. No to Maureen!
If it were my choice to make,Mourinho.O'Neill and the like would all be in the frame but i'd personally go for Carlos Queiroz,he knows the club,the way we play and had a hand in signing our current Latin contingent,maybe with Giggsy and Ole as assistants?
On Mourinho, he's an excellent coach, of that there is no doubt whatsoever. What is in doubt is whether he can change from his short-term view of the job to where he would consider being a manager for a decade or more and building a squad and an infrastructure, living up to the traditions of the club. There was never a chance of doing that at Chelsea, who perform a manager rotation system, or in Italy where he's not Italian enough. He's shown that he can deliver short-term success but he's never been in a position to build anything.
Danny - bit confused - did you also put your original post on another football website's mailbox or are you quoting from it?
danny wilmslow just so you know Manchester United play at Old Trafford.
ok, so jose might have won the champs league with Porto but that season seemed like none of the big teams wanted to win it...also, was it not the year the euros were in portugal?? good publicity for the country + uefa or just a coincidence!!?? He might have won back to back leagues with chelski but most were from cluadio's team. He has no plan B, settles for 1-0 everygame, doesnt know how to play out+out atackin footy with we at O/T have known for years now. He brings no youth in and only buys people in their prime....
Therefore, shouldnt someone like MON be prime candidate. Keeps the backbone of the team british, plays attacking football and has no problems in buying young + inexperienced players. aslo have champs league experience + learnt from cloughie......i myself would love MON to be the man to take over once fergies goes...
SAF is the true 'Special One' when it comes to winning trophies. We can only guess what his final tally will be when he steps down. I reckon the next two or three years will decide who'll succeed him. Mourinho does, however, have an excellent claim to the OT job. There is no doubt that he knows the value of motivation. I think that is his strongest suite, as it is with SAF. Motivation! Motivation! Motivation!
What I have noticed about United in the last ten years, is that their backroom staff has grown and have become more specialised. SAF clearly understands the need for delegation, that he can't do it all himself. No doubt, he makes the final decision about who shall play, but I'm sure he listens to those around him before making it.
Anyone looking carefully at the United dugout during games will see how relaxed the backroom staff are around the boss. Unlike Benitez and a few other coaches, they aren't constantly scribbling in a notebook. Come to think of it, I've never seen anyone in the United dugout with a notebook. That's because it's all up top. Also, on the pitch there are no phony displays of the togetherness we saw from Chelsea after Hiddink's first match. The body language of the players demonstrated just how phony it was. It comes naturally to United players because they're a happy bunch.
Van, Keane and Heinze were the last club bust ups and little good it did them.
So, to me, the 'secret' of United's continuing success - in tandem with exceptionally gifted players - is SAF's ability to motivate, delgate and promote almost complete harmony on the training ground and in the dressing room, which translates into quality performances on the pitch.
So, yes, I can see Jose taking over from SAF. In the next couple of years, though, it might be an idea if he learned to demonstrate some humility which, I'm certain, will enhance his credentials for succeeding the best there has been and likely to be for a long time to come.
There seems to be a contradiction of what people want - if you want nice, attractive football why don't we get the Swansea manager.
If as I suspect, most people on here want us to continue winning and building on our achievements, than Mourinho is the obvious choice - 1 European Cup, 1 UEFA Cup, 4 domestic league titles, 1 FA Cup, 2 League Cups. Basically, he has won more than Sir Alex had by the time he arrived in 1986. O'Neill is now 57 and could be 60 by the time Fergie retires, whereas Mourinho would still be under 50.
Mourinho's brand of football isn't the most exciting and he often likes to be centre of attention (usually a media ploy) but his players all play for him and he seems to be able to make decent players perform to higher levels like Sir Alex. For me he is the best choice of those available, but I suspect the board may play it a bit safer and appoint someone like Moyes or O'Neill if they go for a domestic manager.
I can't wait to watch the smug look being wiped off his face. I can't stand the guy. Never could have, never will do.
There seems to be a deep insecurity about this man, as in that he must always talk about himself.
I think that's why he acts the way he does - these actions and words aren't from the heart - they are made for attention.
That's why he constantly embraces the British Press, as they do him, for some bizarre reason, because they love him.
Lord Ruud,
9/03/2009 at 14:59
I thought Danny's Penmanship had taken a sharp upturn!? I also recall reading passages from other sites.....enjoyed the post's though, whoever or wherever these posts are coming from good stuff!!
no no no mourinho at old trafford,boring football,not like were playing now.
id have david moyes as i like his style and martin o neal,but moyes gets the nod,he bloods young playetrs and fergie could still be there for a while as no 1 teaching moyes but letting moyes make some changes if fergie agreed to then,then get giggs in as assistant coach so when moyes is well settled giggs will be a superb no 2.
And the rest is histtory hopefully repeating its self again,id go for moyes and giggs as no 2.
dont forget fergie will go upstairs and if he sees any signs hell be down on the touch line to help out.
Lord Ruud,
Yes several sites!