Jose Mourinho says he was hours from England job

Published on Monday 28 March 2011 18:10

Jose Mourinho has revealed he came within "hours" of taking the England manager's job before the appointment of Fabio Capello.

The Real Madrid manager said he would have been Steve McClaren's successor in 2007 had it not been for a last-minute change of heart. The Portuguese, who left Chelsea in September 2007, two months before McClaren was sacked by England, explained he decided late in the day he wanted to remain in club management.

Mourinho said in an interview with French sports daily l'Equipe: "I was hours away - I almost signed up for the England national team. But at the last minute I began thinking, 'I am going to coach a national side, there will be one match a month and the rest of the time I will be in my office or overseeing matches. And then to have to wait until the summer to compete in a European Championship or a World Cup'? No, it wasn't for me.

"So at the last moment I pulled back, preferring to wait for the right job to come along, a good club, a challenge that could motivate me. That was Inter (Milan]." Mourinho was out of the game for nine months before being appointed Inter coach in June 2008, leaving them for Madrid last summer. "When I left Chelsea, the first month was fantastic. I went to Africa, to Japan, I did tons of things I had not been able to do," he added. "The second month was also good, but from the third onwards it was horrible, just awful."

The Football Association was quick to respond to Mourinho's comments. "Fabio was our first choice for England manager," a spokesman said. "We have made that clear from the outset."

Mourinho admitted he also came close to taking the Paris St Germain job, but decided against it as he was not convinced by Ligue 1's quality. Asked why he did not take the PSG post, he said: "I do not know. Perhaps because of the feeling that England, Spain or Italy are more powerful leagues, and we must make the most of the best years of our career by working at the highest level."

Mourinho is also taking the credit for Karim Benzema's recent progress at Real Madrid.

The France striker struggled to establish himself as a regular starter after joining in July 2009 from Lyon, and his departure from the club seemed certain earlier this season.

But Benzema has managed to turn his fortunes around, scoring eight goals in his past five games. "Everybody can see that he is a better player," Mourinho said in the interview. "He's improved because his coach is a demanding one, and has asked for a different attitude from him - both at training and on the pitch."

Mourinho, who joined Real after winning the Champions League with Inter last season, said Madrid had taken the wrong approach with the 23-year-old striker. Mourinho said he persuaded Benzema his success would only come through hard work and perseverance. "I won't give you anything," Mourinho told the striker."If you don't win, you will drown. But if you win, you'll come out of this stronger."