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To José Mourinho, Newcastle United represents a road never taken. Whenever Mourinho visits St James’ Park he takes time to stand by the statue of Sir Bobby Robson outside the Milburn Stand and spend a few minutes paying silent tribute to the memory of his mentor.
In 1999 Robson wanted the Portuguese to join him at Newcastle as an assistant manager with a view to eventually taking the top job but Mourinho, who returns to north‑east England for a Champions League engagement with Benfica on Tuesday night, declined.
Instead, Robson’s former translator turned No 2 at Barcelona kicked off his own managerial adventure the following year with a brief spell at Benfica. Now, after a turbulent stint at Fenerbahce, the wheel has turned full circle and he is back in charge at the Estádio da Luz after succeeding the sacked Bruno Lage last month.
The match on Tuesday night will be the 62‑year-old’s 13th competitive appearance on Tyneside as a manager but previous trips with Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham produced only three wins. How he would revel in registering a fourth victory at the expense of a club with which, thanks to Robson, Mourinho has always claimed to feel a strange affinity.
“I’m a little Magpie,” he told interviewers in Portugal last month. “The club up there know how much love and respect I have for them. I learned that from Mr Robson.”
Newcastle’s manager, Eddie Howe, was well aware that Mourinho, then unhappy in Istanbul, cultivated friendly relationships with the club’s Saudi Arabian ownership last season. He would take particular delight in beating Benfica.
Outwardly, though, Howe had nothing but praise for the Portuguese on Monday agreeing that Mourinho was “one of the all-time managerial greats”.
The Newcastle manager said: “I think you have to say that. Look, I’m not saying it just because we’re playing them tomorrow. I genuinely believe. The impact he made initially in this country at Chelsea was incredible really. He had an aura around him and his teams. Coaching wise, he had a big impact on me.”
Quite apart from any personal edge, Newcastle could do with confirming the feeling that they really are much better than their Premier League position. Benfica, third in the Primeira Liga, should represent a useful litmus test, particularly as they appear to be improving under Mourinho and secured a creditable 0-0 draw at the table-topping Porto in their last league game. Now the visitors hope to secure a first Champions League point – or, ideally, points – of the campaign.
Mourinho, a Champions League winner with Porto and Inter, maintains Benfica are benefiting from a new, mature version of the Special One. “People change for the better,” he said. “I’m more altruistic, less egocentric. I think less about myself and more about the good I can do for others, the happiness I can spread. I’m in a mature phase of my career.”
Newcastle, meanwhile, are in a slightly transitional phase. If their new £70m Germany striker Nick Woltemade has hit the ground running, Howe’s wingers have malfunctioned at times, with Anthony Elanga a £55m summer singing from Nottingham Forest struggling to make the desired impact.
“Anthony’s an outstanding player,” said Howe, who could be without Sandro Tonali in central midfield on Tuesday night after the Italy international missed Monday training with a virus. “I’ve no doubt about Anthony’s qualities long term. But he’s going through a settling in period. He’s having to make slight adjustments to his game. I think he’s got a lot more to give.
“But I think that, as a team, we’re close to becoming something more and getting better results. We’re frustrated but I don’t think we’re far away. We just have to stick to our beliefs. We’ve had some really strong performances; now we just need the results to prove it. We’re desperate to reach the knockout stage of the Champions League.”
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Due to a delayed flight from Lisbon it was almost 8pm on Monday before a lightly tanned, Mourinho strode into the media room wearing a flattering white Benfica tracksuit and evidently feeling full of love for Howe and Newcastle. “I worked with Sir Bobby Robson for six years and there was not a single day he did not show his pride and passion for Newcastle, the city, the region and the football club,” Mourinho said.
“I’ve never hidden how dear Newcastle is to me because of the influence of a legendary person at this club. St James’ Park is a fantastic place to play football. People do not come here to watch the game, they come here to play it with them. It’s not just the stadium, it’s this club, the history, the passion and the fans.
“With the economic power they have with the owners now, it’s a team that’s very close to even bigger things. It’s a very special club because of the culture in this region, it’s very different culturally to London and to Manchester. I love playing here. I said to my players: ‘It’s beautiful here and you will feel that atmosphere tomorrow evening.’”
Not that he is underestimating Newcastle. “We’re coming up against a very, very strong, very physical team. Uninformed people are misled by their league position but they are a tremendous team. Newcastle are doing everything right.”
So does part of the Special One hanker after managing them one day. Mourinho smiled – and demurred. “ I don’t think they need a coach now. I hope that they don’t need one in the next years, either. That would mean everything goes well for the club and for Eddie, which is what I wish.
“On top of that, in this moment of my career, there wouldn’t be another club where I could be happier and more motivated than I am at Benfica. I wouldn’t change Benfica for any club.”
Meanwhile Ross Wilson, Newcastle’s new sporting director, has presided over the dismissal of Becky Langley, the women’s team manager. Langley leaves with Newcastle sitting ninth in the second tier.
