Roma manager Jose Mourinho has revealed that while he has rejected the chance to become Portugal manager, he is grateful to the president of the Portuguese Football Federation for picking him as a candidate.
Portugal have already hired Roberto Martinez as their manager after they had been knocked out in the quarter-finals of the FIFA World Cup after a defeat to Morocco. Mourinho was linked heavily with the role, as Portugal were looking to hire him in a dual capacity where he could also manage Roma.
After the Giallorossi’s 1-0 win over Genoa in the Round of 16 of the Coppa Italia, Mourinho spoke about the interest from Portugal and he revealed that he was the only option for them.
He stated: “I want to thank the president of the Portuguese federation. What he told me pleased me and made me proud. He told me that I was not only his first choice for the bench, but his only choice and that he would have done anything to take me home and for me, it was an honor. But I didn’t go. I’m here, and that matters.”
The Giallorossi relied on Paulo Dybala’s excellent second half goal to win the game and progress into the next round. In Serie A, the Roman outfit are at seventh in the table but they are only three points behind fourth-placed Inter. Their next game sees them take on Fiorentina on Sunday.
Kaustubh Pandey | GIFN
