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Mourinho: I Turned Down Two Big Offers...

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ROME, ITALY - SEPTEMBER 17: Jose Mourinho head coach of AS Roma gestures during the Serie A TIM match between AS Roma and Empoli FC at Stadio Olimpico on September 17, 2023 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Silvia Lore/Getty Images)
ROME, ITALY - SEPTEMBER 17: Jose Mourinho head coach of AS Roma gestures during the Serie A TIM match between AS Roma and Empoli FC at Stadio Olimpico on September 17, 2023 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Silvia Lore/Getty Images)

Jose Mourinho has revealed he turned down two big coaching offers while he was still was AS Roma.

The Portuguese tactician was recently relieved of his duties at the Italian club following some shaky results in Serie A and their Coppa Italia exit.

The former Manchester United coach says he turned down the Portugal national team job and a big offer from the Saudi Pro League.

Read: Mourinho Reveals One Player He Would Love To Coach

"I gave everything, I gave my heart, I gave even some options that could be considered not very clever from the professional point of view," Mourinho said on Rio Ferdinand's YouTube channel.

'I refused some great working opportunities. The first one was very hard to refuse because it was Portugal national team, probably the best Portugal national team ever and three years before a World Cup.

'Then I had a big one from Saudi and I didn't hide it at the time because it was really big.

'I did it - normally I am very pragmatic in my choices, very professional in my choices and I try to be very emotionally controlled and you could see that when I left other clubs after winning finals.

'In this case I was not pragmatic, I was emotional and I gave everything. So in the end when I left, I left hurt. I had the great feeling that I gave so much happiness to the people.

'Two European finals in a row doesn't happen too often, especially in a club like Roma which doesn't have a big history of European success.

'Then I was walking in the street and the people were like "take us to Dublin, take us to Dublin" [for this year's Europa League final] and so I had that in my mind, the third European final in a row.

"But you have to respect, the owner is always the owner. It's not the first time I left a club, it is probably the first time I am feeling it in a different way.

"You move on, you try to learn from the experience be better for the next one."

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