CONTROVERSIAL LEEDS UNITED owner Massimo Cellino has challenged Jose Mourinho to prove his mettle by swerving a move to Manchester United in favour of taking charge at Elland Road.
Mourinho has been out of work since leaving Chelsea in December but is widely expected to return to management ahead of next season, with a summer move to the Red Devils to replace struggling Louis van Gaal tipped to be his next destination.
But Cellino, who has employed seven different coaches since completing his takeover of Leeds in 2014, claims he has told Mourinho that he should bypass the Premier League and help Leeds return to the top flight if “he had the balls.”
“I told him, ‘If you had the balls, you should come and manage Leeds. Bring Leeds into the Premier League and then the Champions League. That’s balls,” Cellino told The Telegraph.
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“You want to play football – come with me to Leeds. Mourinho, like others, has to ask himself if he is still a coach. How do you find out? By going to Manchester United?”
Cellino says he has also spoken to Bayern Munich-bound Carlo Ancelotti regarding the possibility of his compatriot taking over the Leeds reins in the future.
“Ancelotti called me: ’Massimo, bring the club into the Premier League and I come to you because the only place I miss and want to go back to is England’,” Cellino added.
“For me a good coach still has to show he’s a good coach. Come here and show me.”
Despite being loathed by Leeds supporters, Cellino continues to dream big in Yorkshire, where the club played a Champions League semi-final in 2001 before they were relegated three years later.
Cellino has set his sights on Leeds not just securing a return to the top flight, but he also wants to recreate famous European nights once again.
“The fans want to win but I want to win bigger. I don’t want to go into the Premier League then back,” he said.
“I want to go in the Premier League then compete for the Champions League.”
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If Mourinho 'had the balls' he would manage Leeds - Cellino
CONTROVERSIAL LEEDS UNITED owner Massimo Cellino has challenged Jose Mourinho to prove his mettle by swerving a move to Manchester United in favour of taking charge at Elland Road.
Mourinho has been out of work since leaving Chelsea in December but is widely expected to return to management ahead of next season, with a summer move to the Red Devils to replace struggling Louis van Gaal tipped to be his next destination.
But Cellino, who has employed seven different coaches since completing his takeover of Leeds in 2014, claims he has told Mourinho that he should bypass the Premier League and help Leeds return to the top flight if “he had the balls.”
“I told him, ‘If you had the balls, you should come and manage Leeds. Bring Leeds into the Premier League and then the Champions League. That’s balls,” Cellino told The Telegraph.
“You want to play football – come with me to Leeds. Mourinho, like others, has to ask himself if he is still a coach. How do you find out? By going to Manchester United?”
Cellino says he has also spoken to Bayern Munich-bound Carlo Ancelotti regarding the possibility of his compatriot taking over the Leeds reins in the future.
“Ancelotti called me: ’Massimo, bring the club into the Premier League and I come to you because the only place I miss and want to go back to is England’,” Cellino added.
“For me a good coach still has to show he’s a good coach. Come here and show me.”
Despite being loathed by Leeds supporters, Cellino continues to dream big in Yorkshire, where the club played a Champions League semi-final in 2001 before they were relegated three years later.
Cellino has set his sights on Leeds not just securing a return to the top flight, but he also wants to recreate famous European nights once again.
“The fans want to win but I want to win bigger. I don’t want to go into the Premier League then back,” he said.
“I want to go in the Premier League then compete for the Champions League.”
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