Options running out for Mourinho

Jose Mourinho’s hints of an imminent return to England after Tuesday’s Champions League semi-final exit to Borussia Dortmund may have been more desperate than they first looked.

Once Howard Webb’s final whistle had ended Madrid’s last hopes of pulling off what would have been another of the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu club’s historic comebacks, Mourinho’s mind focused in on next season — and which club he would like to be at.

His answers in English at the post-game conference centred on his great relationship with Premier League fans and journalists, and the bond he felt with one club in particular. No-one in the Bernabeu press room doubted he was referring to former side Chelsea.

“I know I am loved in England, by the fans, and the media,” Mourinho said. “I know I am loved by some clubs, especially one. In Spain the situation is a bit different, because some people hate me. Many of them are in this room.”

The responses to questions from those Spanish journalists differed in tone. Jose said he had yet to decide his future, but remained very proud to manage the biggest club in world football, and valued his friendship with Blancos president Florentino Perez.

“Because of the respect I have for this club and its president I will wait until the end of the season and then sit with Senor Perez, my friend, and decide the best for me,” was the message en español.

Such playing of all the angles was characteristic of the self-proclaimed ‘Special One’, but also perhaps a shrewd realisation of his current job situation.

Six months ago Mourinho appeared spoilt for choice. Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain were both reportedly keen to marry his proven Champions League-winning ability to their respective Middle East millions. Madrid were expecting him to fulfil the contract signed last June, which runs until 2016.

However, the situation has since changed radically. City’s choice of ex-Barcelona player and executive Txiki Begiristain as sporting director slammed the door on that option, given the two men’s past issues.

PSG’s surprise competitiveness against Barca in the Champions League, and their imminent claiming of the Ligue 1 title, appears to have convinced the club’s Qatari backers that Carlo Ancelotti remains the man to lead their project.

Meanwhile, the splendid tactical and motivational success of Manuel Pellegrini in guiding Malaga to the Champions League quarter-finals, despite the erratic character of its Qatari owner, have seen the Chilean coach’s stock rise.

Pellegrini’s agent reportedly met with Begiristain in Madrid on Monday while Roman Abramovich has also apparently contacted representatives of ‘The Engineer’ in recent months. That Pellegrini’s bunch of veterans and unproven kids did better against Dortmund than Mourinho’s expensively assembled side will also have been noticed at Stamford Bridge.

When viewed from this perspective Mourinho’s decision to take the initiative on ITV — while it lasted — and declare he could soon be back in the Premier League, and his defence of his European record at Madrid to the local media — three semi-final losses in a row — looked like the actions of a man hedging his bets. That is because a third failure in Europe raised the possibility that Perez — who has thus far overlooked Mourinho’s ranting at referees, rows with journalists, assault on Barca coach Tito Vilanova, and sidelining of fans’ hero Iker Casillas — might decide enough is enough.

Ancelotti has grown increasingly coy when answering questions about Madrid’s reported interest — and Perez is known to be a fan of the Italians’ record of winning the Champions League in Milan, and the Premier League with Chelsea.

Madrid’s sports papers have already started speculating on which players the Italian will bring with him to the Bernabeu next season. Wednesday morning brought a call in Marca for Dortmund’s Jurgen Klopp to be given the job.

Mourinho once sniffed at Pellegrini, his predecessor at the Bernabeu, saying that when he left Madrid it would not be for a small club like Malaga. It is still unlikely that the Portuguese will pitch up at La Rosaleda next season, but as the summer’s European managerial merry-go-round prepares to start spinning, his options appear to be narrowing by the week.