Rodgers calls for Celts resilience as Bayern try to generate momentum
JOSE Mourinho has no intention of leaving Manchester United any time soon, but admits it will be an “impossible mission” to end his management career at Old Trafford.
After winning three trophies in his first season, the 54-yearold looks set to lead the club on their first genuine Premier League title charge since Sir Alex Ferguson departed.
United have been crying out for a figure like Mourinho since the Scot called time on his 27year Old Trafford reign.
The Portuguese, synonymous with making a big impact over a short period in charge at several clubs, dismissed the possibility of ending his managerial career at United over the weekend in an interview with French television, in which he also spoke of his interest in Paris St Germain’s project.
Mourinho downplayed what could be construed as public flirting ahead of tonight’s Champions League Group A clash at Benfica.
“I think you (in the) English media, you have the answer for that,’’ Mourinho said when asked about how he saw his future.
“Because in one day it says that I’m going to sign a five-year contract, one-billion pounds per season and then the next day you say that I’m leaving and I’m going to Paris St Germain.
“I think that’s the answer — the answer is that nothing is happening. I’m not signing a new five-year contract and I’m not leaving for Paris St Germain.”
It is less than 17 months since Mourinho penned a three-year deal at Old Trafford, with the option to extend until 2020.
“The only thing that I told and is true and there was not interpretation of my words is that I am not going to end my career at Manchester United,” Mourinho said.
“And I ask how is it possible in modern football that any manager is going to last 15-20 years in the same club?
“I think (Arsene) Wenger is the last one. I think it is impossible for us, with everything that surrounds the job, with all the pressure that surrounds every job. I think that it’s impossible to last so long.”
For all the talk of the longterm, the United boss says his future is a match against the Portuguese champions that he approaches without Eric Bailly, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Paul Pogba, Marouane Fellaini and Michael Carrick.
The lack of midfield options is a problem, and Mourinho has confirmed that Ander Herrera and former Benfica man Nemanja Matic will start at the Estadio da Luz.
There were few moments of note during the drab 0-0 draw, although Reds defender Dejan Lovren accused Romelu Lukaku of deliberately flicking a boot into his face — action that avoided retrospective action from the Football Association.
“I read something,” Mourinho said. “But there’s a big contradiction there because he says ‘let’s move on and forget what happened’ but then he spends 10 minutes speaking about what he thinks happened.” CELTIC boss Brendan Rodgers is wary of the Bayern bounce ahead of their Champions League encounter at the Allianz Arena tonight.
The German giants fired Carlo Ancelotti following their 3-0 Group B loss to Paris St Germain last month, with Jupp Heynckes returning to take charge for the fourth time.
In his first game back, Bayern beat Freiburg 5-0 in the Bundesliga, and that did not go unnoticed by Rodgers (below), whose side are on three points with the Munich side after two games.
The former Swansea and Liverpool manager, who confirmed centre-back Jozo Simunovic would be out with a hamstring injury while skipper Scott Brown and fellow midfielder Stuart Armstrong are available again, said: “They have obviously changed management and that has given them a little bit of a bounce effect.
“Just seeing the change from how they had been playing, on Saturday.
“You always look at players and how hard they work and how they press, and certainly in Saturday’s game Bayern Munich’s counter press went to a different level to what they had been.
“So that is something that we will have to cope with. There were a couple of results that didn’t go the way they wanted to. They were 2-0 up in two games, home and away, and got pegged back.
“Obviously the new manager came in for his first game at the weekend. He is someone who is respected throughout the club and a lot of players here know him very well and how he works.
“Sometimes you get that effect. How long it lasts, time will tell. But for us, however that effect is, we respect that we are playing against some fantastic players.
“No matter how your league form is, this is a competition that you want to do well in. So I think they will be motivated, they will want to press the game and show their qualities.
“We need to be resilient but we know that we can come away from home, play football and score goals and that is our intention.”
Rodgers will have to reshuffle his back-line once again and, although he bemoaned the loss of Simunovic, he welcomed the return of Brown and Armstrong.
The Carnlough man added: “Jozo came back into the team after being injured and performed very well. You always want your top players available.”