Mourinho remains coy on Real Madrid future

Posted Saturday, April 20, 2013 by Foxsports.com

Jose Mourinho tried to pour water on the latest furore surrounding his future, but has not entirely distanced himself from comments made about him this week.

The Portuguese has been widely linked with a move away from Real Madrid this summer - with former club Chelsea constantly mentioned as a destination.

A move to London was given further credence this week when Manuel Alvarez - president of Canillas, the club of Mourinho`s son - said the 50-year-old had told him he would not be at Madrid next season.

On Friday, ahead of Saturday's game with Real Betis, was Mourinho`s first opportunity to respond and, although he gave a nod to Alvarez enjoying the attention, he did not deny such a conversation had taken place.

Alvarez claimed Mourinho had told him and other coaches at the club that he would be unable to speak to them next season, with Mourinho`s version of events only slightly different.

"Yes I can confirm it. He asked me if I will be able to speak to the coaches at the club next year. I don't (know if) I will be able to.

"To speak about Canillas is like speaking about what is almost a second home for me and my son. It's a great club. But they have a problem - their president loves the press and he loves attention.

"He is a fantastic person and treats me and my son very well, but he has this small problem, it's not my problem."

There will surely be no shortage of takers if Mourinho quits Madrid, although he will hope to have won the Champions League and Copa del Rey by then.

His assessment of his mood was not entirely glowing, though.
"I'm not unhappy at Madrid. I could be happier or less happy, but that could happen anywhere. There is no such thing as the perfect club or the perfect coach," he added in quotes carried by AS.

"The fundamental thing is to finish the season well. We are two games from the Champions League final, not long ago we were 13. Then, when the pressure from those games has passed, we will sit down and come to conclusions."

The ex-Inter Milan boss also claims that a solid relationship with Madrid's hierarchy means he will be able to plot a future path in a calm manner.

"My relationship with the president [Florentino Perez], Jose Angel [Sanchez, Madrid chief executive] and with everyone else at the club is very good and this means that we can sit down and analyse things in a relaxed manner," he said.

"We will decide what is best for Madrid, for me and for the president. We have that tranquility.

"Normally there are problems between clubs and coaches, in this case there is no problem, due to our close relationship. But the best situation for all of us and those that love Real Madrid is for us to win the Copa del Rey and remain in the Champions League."

Mourinho is in his third season at Madrid and will be remembered as the coach who snared the title back from Barcelona last season, although their defence of it has been a meek one.

Should he win the Champions League - they play Borussia Dortmund in a semi-final starting next week - he will have done so with three different clubs in three different countries.