Everything Jose Mourinho said on Newcastle United, Sir Bobby Robson, St James' Park & manager's job
Benfica head coach Jose Mourinho was speaking to the media ahead of Tuesday night’s Champions League clash at Newcastle United.
Newcastle United are back in Champions League action against Benfica at St James’ Park on Tuesday night.
It will see newly-appointed Benfica head coach Jose Mourinho return to St James’ Park for the first time since 2021.
While Mourinho never managed Newcastle, he has previously professed his affection for the club given his link with Tyneside icon Sir Bobby Robson.
Robson has a statue outside St James’ Park having previously managed the club between 1999 and 2004.
Mourinho credits Robson with playing a significant role in his coaching career having initially worked as Robson’s interpreter at Sporting CP and Porto before becoming his assistant at Barcelona.
Mourinho then stepped into management himself and became one of the most successful managers of the 21st century, winning the Champions League twice, Europa League twice and the Conference League. He is the only manager to have won all three active UEFA club competitions.
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And here is what Mourinho had to say about Newcastle United ahead of Tuesday night’s match...
It’s essential to come to this stadium and understand the presence of Sir Bobby Robson - what did he tell you about it?
Mourinho: “I always felt something special, even before Mr. Robson passed. After he passed, I started to feel that closeness, that unfortunately, in our daily lives, even with the people we love, even with the fans that leave, the day-to-day takes us, sometimes.
“Then there are places that make us open the door again, so that these people can enter our thoughts. I worked with Mr. Robson for six years, and I think there was not a day when he didn't show his passion for the Newcastle city, the Newcastle area, the Newcastle club.
“The pride and passion that he had, made me, even as a coach of other English clubs, I never hid that Newcastle was always a very dear club to me, obviously because of the influence of a person who is a legend, who is a legend of this club and this region.”
What about facing Newcastle at St James’ Park?
Mourinho: “We play against a very strong team. Against a very strong team.
“A very well organized team, with players chosen by hand, to play according to Eddie’s ideas. A physical team, a tremendously physical team, very strong, very strong in the direct game, very strong in set-pieces, but then there are players very fast on the wings, and there are not two, there are four. There are four very fast wingers, two playing and two on the bench.
“It's a very strong team. A very strong team, with an absolutely fantastic stadium to play in, and a stadium that plays with them. People don't come here to watch a game, people come here to play with their team.
“Tomorrow is an extremely difficult game for us, but I also believe that it is an extremely difficult game for them.
How special is this stadium? Is it a different stadium from the English football, from the English context, or is it one of the great stadiums for English football?
Mourinho: “No, it's not just the stadium. It's the stadium, it's the club, it's the history, it's the passion of the fans, and in recent years it's also the economic power that allows them to have the team they have, that allows them to get out of a complicated situation and win for the first time in decades a competition like they won the League Cup, that allows them to play two seasons at the Champions League, and obviously you know that playing in the Champions League when you play in the Premier League it's extremely difficult to get one of the Champions League positions.
“Today they are a team that is very close to bigger things, bigger things that these people here deserve. It's a completely different area from London, the culture of Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham, the biggest teams in London, it's completely different from the culture, from the society in this area. I love playing here.
“I told the players in the conversation I had with them yesterday that even as an opponent, that even as an opponent, it's beautiful to play here. It's fantastic to play here. You will see tomorrow that the atmosphere is extraordinary.
We have to cope with that emotion. We have to cope with it. We have to be strong enough to cope with it.”
Would you be happy to draw this game?
Mourinho: “No, no, no. I said the same thing about Chelsea and then we lost. So maybe I should have accepted the draw, which was better than losing. But it's not a game we want to play.
“We are prepared, within our limitations, we are prepared to play.”
Were you happy to see Newcastle United win the Carabao Cup - were you happy for Sir Bobby?
Mourinho: “Sir Bobby is a legend here and in England, when you are a legend, there are many reasons to be a legend.
“He loved this club. He gave everything to this club. Of course, he would be so happy with that victory in the cup.
“I was very happy. I know that is not the target. I know that Newcastle and all the supporters, what they want is bigger than the League Cup, but the League Cup is the beginning.
“To play in the Champions League is another very important step and I think the club goes in the right direction. Many clubs with new owners, with fresh money, lots of wrong decisions, lots of ups and downs.
“Newcastle, since the moment they have the new ownership, Eddie, stability, they changed sporting directors for obvious reasons.
“The new football is like that, but lots of stability. The profile of the players, I never see a player that Newcastle get that doesn't fit the model, doesn't fit the profile. They do things really, really well.
“That's why they are where they are. I'm so happy that I congratulate Eddie and the club and the fans and Lady Elsie Robson and the three boys and the grandsons. I think they are so happy to be the legacy of this club.”
Newcastle United in transition after summer transfer window - what do you make of that?
Mourinho: “What happened with [Alexander] Isak in the summer is very difficult for a club, very difficult for a coach and very difficult even for the fellow players.
“I think in the end everybody knows that he's going to leave for Liverpool, but one thing is everybody knows he's going to leave and another thing is done.
“When it's done, you move on. When it's done, you have a new player. When you have a new player, you train and you adapt to play with a new player because, of course, Isak and [Nick] Woltemade are different players.
“There is always a period of transition for new players. It looks like this boy [Woltemade] is here all his life because he's performing, he's adapted, he's loved by the fans.
“Newcastle is doing these things right. Eddie is doing these things right.”
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Faced Newcastle at St James’ Park before, but first time in the Champions League - what will that be like?
Mourinho: “Absolutely beautiful. Even as an opponent, it's beautiful. Of course, they are going to play with the Newcastle players, but I think they will respect us as an opponent. They will respect our game.
“They will respect if we are going to be successful. It's beautiful to play here. It's a different profile than to play in the London stadiums.
“We have to cope with that emotion. We have to cope with it. We have to be strong enough to cope with it.
“The players have to enjoy and I think they are going to do it. It's going to be difficult for us. We have to try to impose our qualities, which are different qualities than Newcastle.
“But in some moments when Newcastle impose things where they are superior than us, we have to cope with it. We have to be ready to suffer on the pitch because it will be a very difficult match.”
Were you ever close to managing Newcastle United?
Mourinho: “Never close, no. Close to coming with Sir Bobby [as assistant]. But it was a moment in my career where I made my mind and I knew the direction I wanted to go.
“I think one of the qualities of an assistant is to be ready to give everything and to focus only on your boss and the club and not on yourself and that possibility came in a moment where I was already thinking about myself. I was already thinking about my career and I never wanted to be an assistant coach when I was not ready to give everything.
“Then lots of talk, media talk, but honestly, I was never contacted by Newcastle. Never.”
How important was Sir Bobby Robson in launching your managerial career?
Mourinho: “One thing is the opportunities that he gave me. He took me to Barcelona and for a young guy to go to Barcelona and to have the opportunity to stay there as long as I stayed because I stayed there even after Sir Bobby, I stayed there three more years.
“So it was an incredible experience for me. And that door is a huge door that was only opened by Sir Bobby. The second thing is what I've learned at the football level and at the human level.
“And the third thing was the trust that he put in myself, which made me, especially at that period, because now it's more like that, but at that period, assistant coaches were very limited in their area of action. Nowadays it's different. Now assistant coaches, they are more important. They have more freedom. They have more responsibilities in hands. He put a lot of trust on me.
“So of course I consider that it was very important for my career. I tried to pay with everything that I gave and what did I give him? I don't know. I only know that I gave everything I had and that for me is enough.”
When you’re here do you feel closer to Sir Bobby?
Mourinho: “When I walk here, I feel close. When I walk here, I change a few words with him. And it's a great emotion.”
When you left England, could you imagine Newcastle reaching the Champions League?
Mourinho: “When I left England a few years ago, yes, I thought that Newcastle was not far from it. In fact, the first time they played Champions League was already two or three years ago. So this is a process for them.
“And yes, I always thought that would be coming. When I left England, I went to Roma where I played in the Conference League and Europa League. So no chance to be back [at St James’ Park].
“In Fenerbahce, as you know, we beat Feyenoord but then we lost against Benfica in the playoffs. But now to be here is also great for me, despite having almost 200 matches in the Champions League. I don't know, 150, 200, but something like that.
“Champions League is Champions League and it's always a great emotion.”
Do you regret not managing Newcastle United and would you rule out managing here in the future?
Mourinho: “I don't regret because I never had a chance to. I never told no to Newcastle United.
“I told no to many clubs in my career, always with huge respect, but sometimes I had to say no, I'm not interested. Now is not the right time.
“I've never been contacted by Newcastle United at any moment.
“So I don't regret anything. And to be honest, now I don't think they need a coach. I hope that they don't need one in the next years, which means that everything goes well for the club and for Eddie, which is what I wish.