JOSE MOURINHO claims that lounging about with his loved ones would have been more lucrative than taking the Benfica job.
The 62-year-old has returned to work in his homeland for the first time in over two decades after getting the chop at Turkish side Fenerbahce.
ReutersJose Mourinho last managed Benfica in 2000[/caption]
But it wasn’t a hefty paycheck that tempted Mourinho back to Lisbon – the scene of his first senior managerial job in 2000.
Back then, the two-time Champions League-winning manager’s Benfica tenure lasted only 10 games.
This time, he has his eye on the kinds of titles that he feels were out of reach in his last two jobs, at Roma and Fenerbahce.
Mourinho explained ahead of his second game at the helm on Tuesday night: “If I stayed home until the end of the season, I’d earn more than I would working at Benfica. It’s that simple.
“If I stayed and enjoyed my family, being in London, bringing them here, going to the Algarve, and doing some sightseeing, I’d earn more.
“It’s not even free, it’s negative. And you ask me why? Because I really like working.
“I missed playing for what Benfica plays for. Playing for the title. I couldn’t do it at Roma, I couldn’t do it at Fenerbahce.
“Being at home isn’t for me.”
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Mourinho and his predecessor, Bruno Lage, were both unseated due to recent Champions League mishaps.
The Benfica job opened up after last week’s 3-2 comeback loss to Qarabag, leading to Lage’s dismissal.
And Mourinho was ready to pounce, having been let go by Fenerbahce following defeat to his new club, Benfica, at the end of August.
Mourinho has not managed in Portugal since leaving Porto for Chelsea in 2004.
A star-studded managerial career has also taken him to the likes of Inter Milan, Real Madrid and Manchester United, but he has not won a trophy since leading Roma to the Europa Conference League crown in 2022.
Mourinho got his second stint at Benfica up and running with a 3-0 win at AVS on Saturday.
AFPJose Mourinho won three Premier League titles across two spells with Chelsea[/caption] Creator – [#item_custom_dc:creator]
