Jose Mourinho says he wants to emulate Sir Alex Ferguson

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has admitted he is attempting to emulate some of the characteristics of former Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson.

In recent years, the Portuguese tactician has revealed a close friendship between himself and Ferguson. This coming after their relationship appeared to get off to a rocky start when Mourinho ran down the touchline at Old Trafford and performed his infamous knee-slide celebration when his Porto side knocked United out of the 2004 Champions League.

However, Mourinho has admitted Ferguson’s grace in defeat following that match has remained with him until this day.

During an interview with the English newspaper the Telegraph, the Chelsea boss confessed wanting to emulate Ferguson while professing his admiration for the former United manager.

“That was when I felt the two faces of such a big man,” Mourinho told the Telegraph.

“The first face was the competitor, the man that tried everything to win. And after that I found the man with principles, with the respect for the opponent, with the fair play – I found these two faces in that period, and that was very important for me.

“In my culture, the Portuguese and the Latin culture, we don’t have that culture of the second face.

“We are in football to win and when we don’t there is not a second face most of the time.

“But when we beat United in the Champions League, I got that beautiful face of a manager which I try to have myself. I try.”

Mourinho went on to express how happy he is to be back in England after spending a few seasons abroad in Italy and Spain.

The Chelsea manager went on to say that living and working in London enables him to live a “normal life”, unlike his previous spells in Milan and Madrid.

“It is impossible in London that somebody would disturb you because of a negative result when you are walking down the street with your family. Impossible!” Mourinho added.

“In Madrid, Milan – always.”