Jose Mourinho might not have been one of the first names on the next Rangers manager bingo card.
But the legendary Portuguese boss has refused to rule out one day taking the reins at Ibrox.
Jose Mourinho insists he’s happy at Fenerbahce as he looks to drive the legendary Istanbul giants to Europa League success.
But when pressed on potentially taking over at Rangers or even Old Firm rivals Celtic, the Special One admits that managing in Scotland has an allure all of its own.
Jose Mourinho on becoming next Rangers manager
Speaking ahead of Rangers’ Europa League clash with Fenerbahce, Jose Mourinho was asked about ever taking the job as Rangers manager.
Whilst the 62-year-old was quite clear that he’s happy at Fenerbahce, Mourinho refused to rule out what would be a sensational move to Rangers or Celtic in the future.
For Jose, the passion of Scottish football is ‘everything’ and whilst he has no plans to buy a two-bedroom tenement in Hyndland just yet, why not in the future?
”In this moment no because I have a job,” said Mourinho
“I have a job that motivates me and a job that demands loyalty but why not in the future?
”People can say that the Scottish league is a league of two teams but it is a league of passion.
”It is a league of passion and for me, passion in football is something that for me is everything.
“For me to play in empty stadiums, to play in competitions where there is not that fire of the passion, for me it doesn’t make any sense.
”Celtic and Rangers they are big clubs with big fan bases, big emotions, big responsibilities, big expectations, why not?
”But in this moment I have a job. Celtic has a fantastic coach like Brendan. Rangers has Ferguson now so full respect to them and I am not searching for a new job.”
Old adversary Rafael Benitez linked with Rangers job
Barring disaster at Fenerbahce this season Jose Mourinho will not be in the running to take over at Rangers.
But one of the legendary Portuguese manager’s oldest adversaries is one of the names who is reportedly in the running at Ibrox.
Spanish coach Rafael Benitez took charge of Liverpool at the same time Jose Mourinho was appointed at Chelsea back in June 2004.
The two faced off in a legendary Champions League semi-final that first season, with Liverpool winning courtesy of Luis Garcia’s ‘ghost goal’ which Chelsea boss Mourinho refused to accept crossed the line.
It led to an at-times fierce rivalry between the pair which led to Benitez criticising Mourinho’s tactics a la Philippe Clement and Mourinho refusing to shake Benitez’s hand after an FA Cup semi-final defeat in 2006.
The spat continued for over a decade and even involved Benitez’s wife who, as Sky Sports explain, once claimed the Spaniard was always ‘cleaning up Mourinho’s mess’ back in 2015.
This is after Rafa followed Jose into jobs at Inter Milan, Chelsea and Real Madrid.
In a remarkable retort, Mourinho urged Mrs Benitez to instead focus on Rafa’s diet suggesting she had too much time on her hands.
“For her also to think about me and to speak about me, I think the lady needs to occupy her time,” said Mourinho.
“And if she takes care of her husband’s diet she will have less time to speak about me.”
Rafael Benitez has been linked to the Rangers manager’s job with reports suggesting the Ibrox club’s new US investors have discussed appointing the coach.
