Jose Mourinho is back on the managerial market, so Geordie Boot Boys looks back on the time he rejected Newcastle United.
Mourinho has constantly been linked with Newcastle, largely because of his connection with Sir Bobby Robson.
Indeed, Mourinho worked as Robson’s translator at Sporting Lisbon and that role grew into an assistant manager’s role over the course of his career.
The Portuguese worked alongside the Newcastle United legend at Sporting, Porto and most notably Barcelona.
Their working relationship stopped at the Camp Nou. Robson was replaced by Louis van Gaal at Barca and joined PSV Eindhoven before moving to boyhood club Newcastle, who he saved from relegation before leading them into the Champions League.
Robson wanted to bring Mourinho to St James’ Park but the self-proclaimed ‘Special One’ rejected the offer. And then another.
Jose Mourinho didn’t think he’d ever become Newcastle United manager
In Mourinho’s biography, he revealed that Robson had offered him the role of assistant manager on Tyneside in 2000.
However, his ambition at that point in time was to manage a club.
“Bobby lives and breathes the pitch and wants direct contact with the players,” he said (via BBC Sport.)
“But he knew my ambition wouldn’t allow me to accept an assistant coach role.”
Mourinho also suggested that Robson told him that he would be in line to succeed him as Newcastle United manager at some point.
Still, he just did not believe a man like Robson could ever step back from the role, such was his love of the game.
“Since Bobby suspected I wouldn’t accept it, he told me it would only be for a year, two tops, and that at the end of that time I would be head coach and he the club manager [likely a sporting director role],” he added.
“But he had forgotten that I had worked with him for many years and so I knew him well.
“It is unthinkable to picture him as a manager [director], watching from the stands.
“But I didn’t take him up on his offer, knowing sooner or later, my time would come.”
Jose Mourinho’s connection with Newcastle United
Mourinho was happy for Newcastle after PIF’s takeover in 2021, such is his connection with the club after working alongside Robson.
While the prospect of him ever managing the Magpies looks remote these days, it’s clearly a club that means an awful lot to him.
Indeed, in 2020, Mourinho told Sky Sports: “It’s a club I feel connection with because of Mr Robson, it’s as simple as that.
“He had a huge passion for Newcastle and his area, Durham. He had it in his heart.
“So, through him I have become a little magpie!”
It would have been fascinating to see what happened if Mourinho had arrived in something approaching his pomp. The club were hardly in a position to succeed at that point in their history.
Robson had built a fine team but the glory days were coming to an end towards the back end of his tenure.
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