'Emotional connection' - Everything Jose Mourinho has said about Newcastle as fresh stance emerges

Jose Mourinho is targeting the Newcastle United job if Eddie Howe leaves St James' Park. The 61-year-old is currently in charge of Fenerbahce and has made a positive start, winning 10 and drawing five of his first 18 matches, but he has often cut a frustrated figure on the touchline and in his press conferences.

Despite only arriving at Fenerbahce in the summer, Mourinho is already eyeing up an exit and is keeping a close eye on matters on Tyneside, according to the Guardian. With the former Real Madrid and Chelsea boss looking for a way back into English football, Newcastle could prove to be his perfect destination.

It's added that Mourinho has reached out to intermediaries, asking to be kept in contact of any developments at Newcastle should Howe depart. Mourinho met Newcastle chairman Yasir al-Rumayyan at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in a social capacity in March and has maintained the connection.

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Howe is not under any immediate pressure at Newcastle, and back-to-back victories over Chelsea and Arsenal have seemed to strengthen his position in the short-term. Newcastle's Saudi owners want a club in the Champions League, however, and could make a change if their fortunes do not improve.

As Mourinho continues to be linked with becoming the next Newcastle boss, we have taken a look at what has had to say about the Magpies in the past...

'Emotional connection'

While Mourinho was in charge of Roma, he was tipped to replace Steve Bruce as Newcastle's new manager following the Saudi Arabia takeover in October 2021.

When asked about Newcastle at the time, Mourinho said: "On Newcastle, I don't have anything to say. Absolutely nothing to say. The only thing I can say is that for many, many years, I worked with one of the most important figures in the history of Newcastle, Sir Bobby Robson, and so because of that, I have always had a bit of an emotional connection with that city and that fanbase. But it's nothing more than that."

'Really hard'

Speaking back in March on the Rio Ferdinand Five podcast, Mourinho noted St James' Park as one of the toughest places to go and win. During his time as a Premier League manager, the Portuguese has won just one of nine attempts on Tyneside in the top flight.

He said: "There was no rivalry with [Alan] Pardew or with [Sam] Allardyce or anyone there. I just knew that going to play St James' was really, really hard. I didn’t enjoy to play in Newcastle because I never win. Every time I went to Newcastle it was lose or draw, lose or draw. I think I won there once probably with Chelsea, with Man United or Tottenham. Out of 10 I would win once or twice."

'Fought like animals'

After his Manchester United side lost 1-0 to Newcastle in February 2018, Mourinho heaped special praise on the Magpies for the matter in their victory. Matt Ritchie scored the only goal of the game at St James' Park.

"Newcastle fought like animals," Mourinho said. "I hope they take that as a compliment. The gods of football were on their side and it wasn’t going to happen for us today.

"Newcastle gave what they have and what they don’t have, that is a beautiful thing in football. They fought for their point, a point is what they had in mind. We made a defensive mistake and when they are in front, they had only one thing in mind. They gave their lives to keep a clean sheet."

'Typical of a team that wins nothing'

Mourinho was not so kind to Newcastle after his Chelsea side drew 2-2 at St James' Park in September 2015. The Magpies took a two-goal lead but were pegged back in the second half.

"Against some teams they sweat blood, and against others they don't," Mourinho said, as quoted by the Guardian. "It is an attitude typical of a team that wins nothing, though I think Newcastle deserved a point today for the way they fought. They gave everything."