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José Mourinho has not ruled out managing Rangers or Celtic. The Fenerbahce head coach is preparing for Thursday’s Europa League last-16 first leg in Istanbul against Rangers, who have Barry Ferguson in interim charge after the sacking of Philippe Clement.
Mourinho, whose Porto side beat Celtic after extra time in the 2003 Uefa Cup final to secure his first European trophy, took some of his coaching badges in Ayrshire in the 1990s. Asked whether coaching in Glasgow appealed to him, he said: “In this moment, no, because I have a job that motivates me and a job that demands loyalty. But why not in the future? People can say that the Scottish League is a league of two teams, but it’s a league of passion.
“For me, passion in football is everything. For me, to play in empty stadiums, to play in competitions where there is not that fire of the passion doesn’t make any sense. Celtic and Rangers, they are big clubs with big fanbases, with big emotions, big responsibilities, big expectations. Why not?
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“ Celtic has a fantastic coach like Brendan [Rodgers]. Rangers has Ferguson now, so full respect for them and I’m not searching for a new job.”
He praised Ferguson, pointing to the “emotional connection” between the former Rangers midfielder and the club. “It’s going to be much more difficult with him as a coach than with the previous coach,” Mourinho said. “Because the previous coach was more worried about philosophy than on the pitch. It’s on the pitch that you win matches, it’s not with philosophy. For sure, Ferguson will be much more pragmatic, much more objective.”
Mourinho has had many an encounter with grateful Rangers fans since preventing Celtic from winning a European trophy 22 years ago. He said: “In London, especially in London, or in the south of Portugal in the summertime, it’s true, some Rangers fans have come to me.
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“I have the utmost respect for both big clubs and big supporter families. Incredible history also in Europe. Part of my formation was even in Scotland. I have so many Scottish friends from both colours, the green and the blue.”
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