‘United Ferguson’s house’

MANCHESTER. - Jose Mourinho has told Sir Alex Ferguson that Manchester United is “his house, always and forever” and has spoken of the respect between the pair.

The Portuguese was speaking after United’s most successful manager praised Mourinho and the progress he has made in his first season at Old Trafford.

Mourinho, whose side face Hull in the EFL Cup semi-final second leg tonight, said he had “too much respect” for Ferguson to discuss the glowing endorsement at length.

However, while he revealed that the Scot has kept his distance from first-team affairs, Mourinho insisted he knows he has the support of the 75-year-old and said the pair kept in touch as opposing managers.

“I think I shouldn’t comment, obviously he is such an important person in the club and obviously means a lot but I don’t want to comment,” he said. “I wouldn’t comment even if the comments were negative, I have too much respect. Too much respect.

“The support I feel is the support I always felt with him, except when I was a direct competitor and playing against his teams, but I always felt this kind of support. I think he felt the same when I was abroad in Italy and Spain.

“Friends wishing good to each other, supporting each other by a simple SMS that can mean a lot in a certain moment. I think he is very respectful too. He doesn’t want to be around, he doesn’t want to come many times.

“I think he feels completely free because I told him that this is his house always and forever but just a couple of times he travelled with us on the bus and on the train. He visited us once but we know that this is his club, this is his life and that he is supporting of us.” - Sky Sports.