JOSE MOURINHO has hit back at suggestions he is at cause for Roma’s shaky start to the season and revealed he turned down the “craziest offer in the history of football”.
The former Manchester United and Chelsea manager has endured a tough start to the season with Roma.
Jose Mourinho has had a difficult start to the season with RomaCredit: Getty
Mourinho said ‘I’m not a problem’ amid Roma’s troublesCredit: Getty
Their last match saw them fall to a 4-1 defeat away at Genoa. The game before that saw them draw 1-1 with Torino.
A remarkable 7-0 win against Empoli remains Roma’s only win of the Serie A season ahead of Sunday’s clash against Frosinone.
This poor run sees them languishing down in 16th in the table, already eight points behind the top four.
However, Mourinho was in a defiant mood in his pre-match press conference and reaffirmed his commitment to the Giallorossi by referencing job offers he got from Saudi Arabia in the summer.
He said: “Would I renew now? It’s a hypothetical situation, I can’t answer.
“What I can say is that three months ago there was almost a drama to think that I could leave.
“In Budapest on the pitch I told the players that I would stay, after Spezia I reiterated it to the fans, two-three days later I gave my word to Mr. Friedkin.
“In the summer I had the biggest, most important and craziest job offer a coach has ever had in the history of football: I turned it down because of my word.
“Now it seems that I am a problem, I do not accept it. I don’t accept it because it’s not true, I’m not a problem.”
Mourinho revealed in August he had received offers from Al-Hilal and Al-Ahli, but turned down both because he wanted to remain at Roma.
The Portuguese boss has remained incensed about Roma’s defeat in the Europa League final last season – and Mourinho’s first-ever European final defeat.
After the match he waited in the car park for referee Anthony Taylor before calling him a “f***ing disgrace”.