JOSE MOURINHO HAS admitted he nearly became England manager in 2007 after they failed to qualify for Euro 2008 under Steve McClaren.
The Real Madrid manager was considered the best candidate to replace McClaren but the Portuguese, who had left Chelsea by mutual consent in September of that year, turned down the Football Association offer.
Mourinho revealed that a lack of squad contact and the long wait for meaningful games would not have suited him.
He went on to win the treble in Italy and capture the La Liga title with Real Madrid this season.
He told ABC newspaper: “I was on the verge of coaching the English national team in 2007. I thought about it carefully and I said ‘no’ because I knew that within two months I would be unhappy.
“National team coaching is not a life for me right now, with a game once a month, waiting two years for a serious competition.”
Mourinho, 49, said he fulfilled an ambition by managing Madrid and believes he will stay at the club for the long term as he believes he and his family are settled after years of moving around Europe.
“My family and I are happy to have a stability that we had not had until now because we always moved home every two or three years,” he said.
“We’re delighted to continue at Real Madrid. I needed Real Madrid for my career to be complete.”
