Jose Mourinho: I almost took on England job, now I'm staying at Real
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Your support makes all the difference.Jose Mourinho has reaffirmed his commitment to Real Madrid, saying he will bring in two players and look to sign a second goalkeeper in the summer as he attempts to win the third European Cup of his managerial career.
The Real coach also admitted that he came very close to taking over as England manager in 2007, saying: "I was on the verge but I decided against it because within two months I knew I would be unhappy with just one game a month and waiting two years to play a serious competition."
Asked about staying to defend Real's recently won league title and to challenge in the Champions League, he told the Spanish paper ABC: "Next year they are our aims. We will make two changes to strengthen the squad. The players who arrived this season and have struggled to adapt will also be more comfortable.
"My objective is to try to win more leagues [titles] with Madrid. My family and I are happy to have this stability, which until now we have not been able to enjoy because we have always had to change every two or three years. I am delighted to continue here."
Real are expected to sign a right-back and an attacking midfielder, but could also bring in a keeper and striker if Gonzalo Higuain and the reserve keeper Antonio Adan leave.
Mourinho said: "If Madrid are looking for a goalkeeper it is because Adan does not want to continue. I admire his ambition in saying, 'I love Madrid but I want to be at a club where I play every Sunday'."
Mourinho does not feel the same way about Higuain's possible exit. The player is understood to have spoken to Javier Pastore about joining him at Paris St-Germain. Mourinho said: "Higuain will continue here because I don't want to let him go. Madrid don't want to let him go."
Mourinho also hinted at the difficulties his former adversary Pep Guardiola might have in trying to win away from Barcelona. Talking about the need to adapt to the league a coach finds himself in, he said: "If you go to Italy and play as they play in England, you will not win. If you go to England and play as they play in Spain, you will not win."
"You can have your footballing tastes, but you have to play to win in the league you are in."
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