Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho met the media today to preview his side’s UEFA Champions League clash at Benfica tomorrow (video of the press conference available at this link) and the tail end of the session got somewhat testy.
Mourinho was queried about some of the recent comments he made- in which he said he does not envision himself finishing his career at Old Trafford, and also praised what Paris Saint-Germain is doing right now extensively.
Speaking to a room full of reporters, Mourinho said:
“I think you English media have the answer for that because, in one day, it says that I am going to sign a five-year contract, for £1 billion per season and then, the next day, you say that I am leaving and going to PSG. I think that is the answer.”
“The answer is that nothing is happening. I am not signing a new five-year contract and I am not leaving for PSG. I am at Manchester United and I have a contract. And that is it.”
The United Press Officer was then seemingly trying to moderate, or maybe end the session, when a follow up to this query was nearly cut off. The follow-up query asked the 53-year-old about his future, and a now defiant and defensive Mourinho maintained that “the future is tomorrow,” and “my future in football is tomorrow.”
“The only thing that I told is true and there was not a misinterpretation of my words was I am not going to end my career at Manchester United,” Mourinho said as he elaborated.
He then went into a detailed explanation on his comments and their deeper meaning:
“I was asked how is it possible in modern football that any manager is going to last 15 to 20 years in the same club. I think Arsene Wenger is the last one at Arsenal. I think it is impossible for us with everything that surrounds the job, all of the pressures that surround the job.
“I think it is impossible to last for so long. If, in this moment, I wanted to finish my career in two, three, four or five years then I would say yes, I want to finish my career with Manchester United.
“But I think I am going to be a manager for 15 more years, minimum, in the job, and I think it is impossible to stay for 17 years in the same club. I think it is the impossible mission. Even if you want to, you can try, but I think it is impossible.”
“Wenger is the last one. That was my answer. I don’t think I am going to end my career at Manchester United. That was my answer.
“After that, some people tried to be clever, some people tried to be malicious and they said many different things. But the reality is simple. I did not sign a new contract but I am not thinking about leaving.”
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