Former Chelsea coach has prepared job blueprint
Terry the middle-man as Milan link is denied
Jose Mourinho has prepared a blueprint for English football success
in anticipation that the Football Association will make formal
contact this week for discussions over the vacant England manager's
position. There have been several indirect approaches from managers
and players led by the national captain, John Terry, amid a
groundswell of public support for the Portuguese. Mourinho believes
the approaches have been made on behalf of the FA, since Terry and
others asked whether his personal contact details could be handed
over to FA officials.
The Portuguese declined, saying that all contact must be
businesslike and directed through his agent, Jorge Mendes. The
former Chelsea manager is preparing to go on a 10-day family
holiday before Christmas but is beginning to miss being involved
with football. If the FA wants to make its move, Mourinho is keen
to hold discussions before the year is out. Mourinho's blueprint
includes restarting the building of the National Football Centre at
Burton, the creation of an organisation based on club structures
and a full-time medical department unconnected with any Premier
League team.
Although he has made no decisions about whether he would accept a
job offer, Mourinho has certainly not ruled out becoming Steve
McClaren's successor. That is in contrast with a report in one
national newspaper yesterday, which declared that he was preparing
to "defect" to Milan after being offered the job of managing the
European champions.
The article suggested Mourinho is using the FA's putative interest
as leverage to land a position at a top club in Spain or Italy.
However Mourinho, who won the Champions League with Porto before
lifting the Premier League trophy in successive seasons with
Chelsea, has been angered by the report and was keen to send that
message to the FA yesterday.
"These are lies; Jose is not waiting for an approach from these
clubs," said Mourinho's media consultant, Eladio Parames. "Jose has
had no approach from any club and no one has contacted Jorge
[Mendes]. If there is an approach from the FA, Jose will
decide."
Whether he would find any offer from the FA acceptable would depend
on how Soho Square officials react to his vision for England's
future. Unlike other foreign candidates, such as Fabio Capello and
Guus Hiddink, Mourinho has intimate knowledge of the English game
and has received intelligence on the workings of the international
team from the England players at Stamford Bridge.
That has prompted him to formulate an outline of the reforms he
believes would be required for England to have a chance of winning
a first trophy in 44 years at the World Cup in South Africa in
2010. He would be excited at the opportunity to work with English
players, having derived huge enjoyment from his involvement in the
Premier League. His family have also enjoyed their stay in London
and he would be keen to keep that lifestyle.
A friend of Mourinho said yesterday: "In my opinion if they want
him - and I believe they do because there's a lot of pressure from
the players and people in general in England - and if they accept
his plans, I think he could be England's next boss."
Mourinho does, though, have some doubts about the role and would
want to work these through with the FA. Like Hiddink he would be
wary of the tabloid scrutiny into his private life that McClaren's
predecessor, Sven-Goran Eriksson, had to endure.
Those close to Mourinho have sympathy for the position of the
Football Association's chief executive, Brian Barwick, who has come
under considerable pressure to appoint the Portuguese. Indeed, the
FA also found yesterday's reports about Mourinho's supposed
readiness to accept an alternative offer unhelpful.
One Soho Square source was keen to stress that no one at the FA had
ever sought to give the impression that the organisation is wary of
Mourinho and added that Mourinho had never given any indication
that he would rule himself out of the running for the job.
Rival contenders
Fabio Capello
Reported to be 'on course to land the job' in one Sunday tabloid,
with Gianfranco Zola lined up as his assistant, after six of the
eight managers consulted by the Football Association backed his
appointment.
Odds 5-2
Martin O'Neill
What more can he do to distance himself? The Aston Villa manager
has repeatedly ruled himself out of the running to succeed Steve
McClaren. But his legendary indecisiveness is still worrying the
bookmakers.
Odds 7-1
Jürgen Klinsmann
The former Tottenham striker, now based in California, proved a
success when in charge of Germany at last year's World Cup, but the
circumstances of that achievement have led to doubts.
Odds 16-1
Alan Shearer
The former England striker is believed to be keen on taking the
Newcastle job should Sam Allardyce be sacked - if he takes either
job it would test that famed temperament.
Odds 20-1
Luis Felipe Scolari
Odds 20-1
Harry Redknapp, Rafael Benítez, Marcelo Lippi, Louis van Gaal,
Steve Coppell, Gérard Houllier
Odds 25-1 Odds by Betfred