Attention will follow me to Fenerbahce – Mourinho

Jose Mourinho believes his move to Fenerbahce will draw more attention to the Turkish Super Lig.

On Sunday, the 61-year-old was announced as Fenerbahce’s new head coach on a two-year deal, his first job since being dismissed by Roma in January.

Turkey is the fifth different nation in which Mourinho has managed, having previously enjoyed stints at Porto, Chelsea, Inter, Real Madrid, Manchester United and Tottenham, winning a combined total of eight domestic titles and two Champions Leagues.

Speaking at his first Fenerbahce press conference, Mourinho admitted he expected more people to pay attention to the club now he is in charge.

“One of the things is, I bring attention in with me. More people in Europe will follow the Turkish league,” he said.

“I’m coming to work for Turkish football, for Turkish Super Lig. But fundamentally I come for Fenerbahce.

“When people look at me — I did six finals, I won five of them — people think immediately big, but I think we have to go step by step.”

Mondays like these… #MOUtime pic.twitter.com/Np5HUmJ3Ze

— Fenerbahçe English (@Fenerbahce_EN) June 3, 2024

Fenerbahce finished runners-up in the Turkish Super Lig last season on 99, behind Galatasaray, extending their 10-year wait for a top-flight trophy.

Mourinho has won silverware at all but one of his clubs, only failing to get his hands on a trophy at Spurs.

The Portuguese icon has urged the Fenerbahce fans to push the side to end that wait for a league title.

“I make zero promises [to the Fenerbahce fans] but [promise] a huge commitment, passion, work, empathy in relation to them,” he added.

“The way to express that is the way we are going to work. This shirt is going to be my skin, it’s an expression that defines my mentality and that I want everyone at the club to have. The main dream is to win the Turkish Super Lig.

“For me, Fenerbahce means ambition.

“The fans don’t need to be patient, they need to be mad, they have to be demanding. If the players cannot deal with that pressure, they don’t belong at Fenerbahce.

“I want that passion. I want the players to trust me, to know that I am very honest, very direct, sometimes not the nicest guy, but always honest with them.”