The former Manchester United manager José Mourinho has claimed Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp were afforded more luxuries than him in the Premier League.
The Portuguese highlighted the support Guardiola and Klopp have received in the transfer market since taking over at Manchester City and Liverpool respectively. Mourinho appeared to struggle to secure his intended transfer targets in the summer at Old Trafford, but Guardiola and Klopp have not had that problem.
“For me it is more complicated as a manager as I don’t focus on the football itself, I have to focus also in what is to prepare the future,” Mourinho said during a punditry stint on beIN Sports. “I think the future starts to be prepared with principles. That is more important than the football you watch and comment on. It is more important the culture you bring to the club, the principles, so it is a bit more complex.
“But you have the case of Manchester City. In the first season, Guardiola was not a champion, it was really difficult and people were expecting a winning Manchester City.
“Some of the players were already champions twice, Sergio Agüero and Vincent Kompany, and in the first to the second season Pep made great decisions, but great decisions that were supported.
“For example, he didn’t want Pablo Zabaleta or Bacary Sagna, two right-backs, and he didn’t want Aleksander Kolarov or Gaël Clichy. In the same summer he sold four full-backs and got four full-backs. He got Kyle Walker, Danilo, Benjamin Mendy and another. He was supported.
“I think how many players were in Liverpool before Jürgen arrived. No Alisson, no Virgil Van Dijk, no Andrew Robertson, no Mohamed Salah, no Roberto Firmino, no Sadio Mané, no Fabinho, no Georginio Wijnaldum, no Naby Keita, so this is work in depth.
“If have in your hands the possibility to choose the players you want to follow your football idea, or to follow the idea that you think is the best to win a certain competition, that is one thing. Another thing is if you are not able to do this.”
Mourinho later revealed he has turned down three job opportunities since leaving United last month. “I refuse already three options because I didn’t feel it is what I want,” he said. “I am going to be calm. The more time I have, the better I can prepare.”