Real
Madrid manager Jose Mourinho
insists that "only a special
manager" can fill Sir Alex
Ferguson's
shoes at Manchester United
when the Scot calls it a
day.
The Red Devils boss will be 69 years old in December, and there has
been speculation concerning who could replace him in the Old
Trafford hot-seat after his retirement.
And Mourinho is not surprised that several managers have been
linked with the potential job opening at the club. There have been
reports that Everton manager David Moyes and Barcelona's Pep
Guardiola have both been linked with the position.
However, the Portuguese coach does not envision Ferguson walking
away from United in the near future.
"Football without Alex Ferguson? I’m not sure that will happen any
day soon," Mourinho told The Mirror.
"The man lives and breathes football and Manchester United is his
club.
"His hunger and desire to win the biggest trophies remains so I
cannot see the day he considers walking away from football
approaching.
"Like Real Madrid, the Manchester United job is special and only a
special manager is good enough to take the job on if and when it
does become available.
"Of course, jobs like that don’t become available every day so the
interest will be vast. Like Madrid, it’s a job everyone will
want."
Real were one of the clubs linked with a move for Wayne Rooney
after the forward had expressed a desire to leave Old Trafford. But
the 25-year-old recently did a u-turn and signed a five-year
contract with his employers.
And the former Chelsea boss insists that the outcome was never
going to be any different.
He said:"Could I ever see him leaving? Never. He is Manchester
United through and through and he is working with one of the best
coaches in football. He’s a great player but he belongs to United.
I wasn’t surprised to see him stay, I expected it.
"There was no way Alex Ferguson would have considered selling him,
not to anyone. If you take the decision to leave a club like United
there are not many options open to you. Few clubs come any
bigger."
For now, however, Mourinho remains intent on guiding the Bernabeu
boys to silverware.
"Madrid is a special club and came to me at special time in my
career," he said. "After winning my second Champions League and
after my success at Chelsea and Inter, the Real job and the
challenge to be successful was very appealing.
"I came to a team that had had no success for two years and faced
the challenge of a very special Barcelona team and some of the
great clubs in Europe in the Champions League.
"Despite everything and all the success I have enjoyed, my desire
to continue winning remains. I love a challenge and this is a huge
challenge for me.
"Madrid didn’t win the Champions league for 10 years, the Spanish
Cup for 19 years and haven’t won the Championship for three. So
there is a great deal of work to be done. I love the pressure and
that is immediate at a club like this because failure doesn’t sit
comfortably with anyone."
Mourinho also believes that he has about 15 years of management
left in him, insisting that retirement is not something he will
consider anytime in the near future.
"I still have at least 10 or 15 years left in football management,"
he said. "Naturally a day will come when my circumstances change
and I will want to lead a quieter life.
"But it is not something I will be giving any consideration too for
a long time to come."