Mourinho: I should have left Roma earlier, I watch Inter and would return to Serie A | OneFootball

José Mourinho admits he should have left Roma before being sacked in January and hasn’t watched the Giallorossi play again, contrary to Inter, but would return to Serie A.

The Special One released an interview with Corriere Dello Sport on the last day of the year, where he talked about his career, regrets, and personal life.

Mourinho was sacked by Roma in mid-January 2024 and signed a two-year contract with Fenerbahce a few months later.

“I love football and my work. I don’t want to wait for the ideal opportunity, the perfect place, and even less, take a sabbatical. I know many like it, or at least, this is what they say,” said the Portuguese.

Mourinho: I should have left Roma earlier, I watch Inter and would return to Serie A

ROME, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 17: AS Roma head coach Jose Mourinho looks on during the Serie A TIM match between AS Roma and Empoli FC at Stadio Olimpico on September 17, 2023 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)

“I said yes to a club that strongly wanted me and proved so since day one.”

Mourinho was asked about regrets in his personal life.

“Many, if we talk about games. Regarding professional decisions, the no to Florentino [Perez]. He told me: ‘Mou, don’t go now, you’ve done the tough part, now the best one starts.’ I knew it was true, but I wanted to return to Chelsea after three years of great challenges in Spain. And then Budapest. Not for Taylor’s mess, but because I didn’t leave immediately. I should have left Roma. I didn’t do it, and it was a mistake.”

Roma played two consecutive European finals under the Special One. They first won the Conference League in 2022 and then lost to Sevilla in the Europa League Final the following year. Mourinho remained at the club after that defeat but was sacked six months later.

After his sacking, Mourinho had even bought tickets to watch the first Roma game at the Stadio Olimpico but ultimately didn’t attend the game.

“Not one, four [tickets],” he revealed.

“I was at the hotel with my assistants, and they told me: ‘Mister, you deserve to say goodbye to the fans, and they deserve to say goodbye to you. Let’s go.’ I’ve thought about it for a while, and then I feared I would have been accused of disturbing somebody, and I don’t do these things.”

A 2010 treble Inter with Inter, Mourinho admitted he would “certainly” return to Serie A even if he also wants to take charge of a national team one day.

“I’ve never watched Roma play again, but I’ve watched Inter,” he said.

“I want to play a European Championship or a World Cup and unite a country around a team, as I have already done many times with the clubs. I want to do it for football and what this sport represents. It will be incredible.”

Mourinho also praised Atalanta and Gian Piero Gasperini, especially for their Europa League victory in May.

“A great reward to a serious project that has done well for many years with the same coach and philosophy.

“I was sorry for Xabi [Alonso], I supported Bayer, but Atalanta clearly deserved to win. VAR and referees were good, worthy of a European Final.”

Lastly, he spoke about Edoardo Bove, who made his senior Roma debut under Mou at Roma.

“Bove is like me; nobody has ever gifted him anything. He debuted because we have similar principles, even if he was 20 and I was 60.”