Mourinho: I never said no to Newcastle and they never approached me

The British media Post reported that before the Champions League match against Newcastle, Benfica coach Mourinho said that he had never said no to Newcastle because Newcastle had never approached him. Mourinho also said that the atmosphere at Newcastle's home stadium is completely different from Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham in London.

Screenshot of the Post report

The 62-year-old Mourinho has served as Robson's assistant in both Porto and Barcelona. The bronze statue of Robson is also located outside the St. James Park stadium. Mourinho has expressed more than once that he has different feelings for Newcastle.

At the press conference before the Champions League match, Mourinho said: "In this stadium at St. James' Park, people come here not to watch the game, but to play with the team. This city has a completely different cultural atmosphere from London, although top teams like Chelsea, Tottenham and Arsenal Class clubs are thriving in this city. I love coming to St. James Park to play. I have told my players that the atmosphere here is great, and this stadium and this city are full of extraordinary charm."

At the same time, Mourinho also talked about his feelings for his mentor Robson. "When I came back here, I had a chat with Bobby. It was a great feeling, every time I walked into this place, I felt like he was with me. The first thing he gave me was opportunities. He brought me to Barcelona, which was an unforgettable experience for me, and that fan The door to success was what Sir Bobby opened for me. Secondly, I learned a lot from him in terms of football and personal growth. Thirdly, he gave me full trust. I tried to repay him with everything I had, although I don’t know if I really did it. , but I did try my best to repay him. For me, that's enough. "

When asked if he regretted not coaching Newcastle United, Mourinho replied: "I don't regret it, because there was no chance at all, because they didn't come to me, and I never said 'no' to Newcastle United. Frankly, I don't think Newcastle need a new coach now, I hope they still don't need a coach in the next few years, which means that everything can go well for the club and Eddie Howe, which is what I hope. "