Mourinho Gives Thumbs Up to Roberto Martinez in Portugal
Portuguese coach José Mourinho praised the "excellent work" Roberto Martínez has done with the Portugal national team, stating that, alongside France and England, they are among the favorites to win the Euro.
"We're in the Euro with a coach who has done an excellent job, with an excellent generation of players," he told reporters in Vila do Conde, in northern Portugal, where he attended a tribute to his father.
Mourinho mentioned that he had a "very real" chance of returning to Portugal to coach the national team but acknowledged that the team now belongs to Martínez, wishing him success.
"I want everything to go well, and for this group of players, going well means winning. By winning, (Martínez) will continue, and this group of players will continue with him and go to the next World Cup," he predicted.
However, he didn't rule out taking on that role in the future: "If it has to happen someday, it will," stated the coach, revealing that no Portuguese club has contacted him to hire him as a coach.
According to Mourinho, Portugal is one of the strongest teams for this year's Euro, alongside France and England.
"There may be surprises, yes. But if we look at the quality and quantity of players, which is important in these short competitions where you play practically every three days, I believe Portugal has to aim to win," he asserted.
Regarding his own future, the coach, who is currently without a club after being sacked from Roma this season, said he has no projects at the moment and "whatever happens, happens."
"I know the weight of my history is heavy. I know that even when I coach teams not built to win, people expect me to win always. In the last two years, I played two European finals. I want to play more," stated Mourinho, promising to return to coaching because it is a "fundamental" part of his life and without it, "there is no happiness."