José Mourinho backtracks on 'bottom of the table' claim, but drops hint of return to Premier League

Jose Mourinho has insisted his surprise offer to manage a bottom-of-the-table club in England was just a joke.

However, the legendary coach He says he is hoping to seal his return to the Premier League in the future.

Mourinho was Back to his box office antics last Thursday when his Fenerbahce drew 1-1 against Manchester United in the Europa League.

He suggested that his next club will not play European football when he said: “I think the best thing I have to do is that when I leave Fenerbahce I go to a club that does not play UEFA competitions.

“So if any club in England from the bottom of the table needs a manager in two years, I'm ready to go and I don't want to say anything more about it.”

Mourinho's comments sparked surprise and high hopes from fans whose clubs sit further down the Premier League table.

However, those dreams have been quickly dashed as the 61-year-old revealed he does not relish the challenge of a relegation fight.

“I made a joke,” he said. sky sports. “I will never go to a team that fights relegation. I will never go.”

Explaining why he made this bold claim, he added: “I get angry, and I'm not in the period of my career to get angry.

“I'm in the period of my career where I'm happy all the time and at the moment playing in European competitions, I get angry all the time.

“But I'm not going to fight against relegation. It's too difficult! Honestly, I think that has to be the hardest thing.

“It's more difficult than playing for titles. It has to be very hard emotionally, because it's something that changes lives. I think it's the brave guys who do it.”

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Although Mourinho avoids teams threatened by relegation, he has in fact kept the door open to a potential first division go back.

His first spell in the English top flight was with Chelsea, where he won consecutive league titles in his first two seasons.

Mourinho left in 2007 but returned seven years later to lift the Premier League trophy for the third time at Stamford Bridge.

He also had spells at United and Tottenham, and apparently intends to return at some point in his career.

“I had three clubs in England, so I have coached for four different periods in England and I love it,” he said.

“And from a social point of view, I have been lucky to live in many cities, but my family lives in London.

“London is my home, so one day I have to go back, unless no one wants me. But one day I would like to go back.

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“But don't get me wrong, let's make it very clear: for the next two years, this season and the next, no one will take me away from Fenerbahce.”

Mourinho has won nine of his 16 games in all competitions as Fenerbahce manager after his appointment was confirmed in June.

They are third in the Turkish Super League and eight points behind defending champions Galatasaray, although they have one game in hand.

Fenerbahce is also undefeated in the Europa League league stage, a competition it won with United in 2017.