Mourinho scoffs at suggestions Sir Alex will retire

Mourinho scoffs at suggestions Sir Alex will retire

By Soccernet staff

March 30, 2009

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Inter Milan coach Jose Mourinho has brushed off talk of him taking over from Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United next summer by insisting the Scot is going nowhere.

Empics

Sir Alex: Will he retire next summer?

Mourinho has been strongly linked with the Old Trafford hot seat, and the speculation intensified last week when Sir Alex's son, Darren, said his father would have only one more season in the game.

But Mourinho believes Sir Alex's hunger for management refuses to subside and he will always be looking for that 'one more season'.

In an interview with ESPN, Mourinho was aksed if he would be interested in taking over at the Red Devils: "Which is the manager that says no? Nobody can say no.

"Manchester United belongs to a small group of clubs from around the world where nobody can say no. But first of all I don't believe in 2010 he is leaving - I don't believe.

"I think year after year he is the same, he's exactly the same person; healthy, happy... so I don't see a reason for him to quit.

"And in a very fair way, I hope he still goes, I hope he still goes on, because he's good."

Mourinho admits there are some similarities between the two coach. He added: "I think we have some points in common; huge ambition, desire, big pleasure in football.

"The fact he's almost 70 and he keeps saying he still enjoys his work is exactly the feeling I have at 45. I look to my 60s, and for sure I will have the same kind of mentality I have today.

"Close relation with the players, and with our club fans, so yes I think we have some points in common, and also after matches, we have in common, the fact that we know how to lose and we know how to win.

"So that's why after 14 matches we have played between us - Porto with Manchester, Chelsea with Manchester and Inter with Manchester - we play 14 matches against each other, I win, he wins, we draw and after the game the respect is there and a good feeling is there."