Jose Mourinho was his typical sage self when grilled by beIN SPORTS presenter Hisham Al Khalsi during the feature-length show Special One - Special Memories. You can watch the full version of the show in the video above. 

The Portuguese coach spoke on a number of key topics but perhaps most interesting was his praise for PSG star Kylian Mbappe identifying him as the most valuable player in the world today. Mbappe is currently enjoying a fine goalscoring season with PSG and has currently scored 26 goals in 23 Ligue 1 starts. 

"For a player like Mbappe, when you speak about the future, you don't need to say what he's going to be like in five years' time, in 10 years' time, Just focus on now. He's absolutely incredible.”

Whilst Mourinho also compared the 20-year old World Cup winner with the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo & Leo Messi, suggesting that his age and his potential as the Worlds most valuable player. 

"I think going by his age and [and considering] the age of Cristiano, of Messi, [both] over 30, Neymar is 27. When you go to the market level and age is also a factor, I think he's the most valuable player in the world.”

"In a hypothetical transfer, he's the most expensive player in football now. In terms of his qualities, [he is] unbelievable. One word is enough. It means everything."

Noted Mourinho who is currently out of a job since being dismissed by Manchester United in December. Talking about his own footballing mentality, Mourinho was clear that winning trophies is the only way of selling his footballing philosophy to other sides. In what seemed to be a jibe at Premier League managers who constantly talk up their playing style over winning trophies. Something that Mourinho has delivered with every club that he has managed. 

"I have won titles I have every club I have been in, I cannot run away from my mentality."

"Some coaches prefer to sell the idea of having a philosophy, but I think the philosophy you have to sell it after you win. First, you win they you sell the philosophy and then you prove to everybody that your philosophy is correct, your philosophy is great but you have to win."

In a clear jibe towards the likes of Mauricio Pochettino of Tottenham & Maurizio Sarri who have a tendency to value their style of play and footballing ideals ahead of winning trophies. 

"If you try to sell your philosophy but you win nothing then what is the point? I have a philosophy, I have an identity, my team plays very well that's not true because if your team plays well they win (trophies). So I don't like these contradictions in football these days."

Mourinho struck a surprising tone when he revealed that he missed nothing from the day to day of club management. Although his forced break from the game will serve as an opportunity to prepare for his next managerial move. 

"I miss nothing at all, in this moment I am two and a half month's without work and I am working, preparing myself for the next one (job), it is not like I am on holiday or board with nothing to do. I am preparing myself for the next one."

It seems like the endless routine of club football seemed to have got to Mourinho, who was increasingly erratic towards his time at United sniping at players and questioning the attitude of his squad. However now, the 56-year-old stressed that his time away from the game is not a holiday. 

"When you are working every day in football with six press conference a week, with three matches per week, with post-match analysis, pre-match analysis with all the problems you have each day you have no time to care for yourself. Now I am having this month to come back even better prepared." 

Perhaps the most telling contribution from Mourinho came when he discussed a  return to management on his own terms. The Portuguese coach had been widely tipped for a return to Real Madrid before former coach Zinedine Zidane got the nod for the role. Mourinho admits that he has already turned down several offers to quickly return to management and that he knows the nature of the club he wants to move to next. 

"What I have in mind is that I would like to be back in the summer in June for a new club and a new preseason. I know exactly what I don't want that's the reason why I have had to say already to three or four different offers that I had to say no. I know what I want, in terms of not the specific club but the nature of the job, the dimension of the job."

Only time will tell if Mourinho will make a splash in management following his high-profile departure from Manchester United, but for now it seems that the Special One is certainly content with his short break away from the game. You can watch the full version of the Special One - Special Memories in the video above.