Newcastle handed warning over Jose Mourinho links to replace Eddie Howe
Newcastle United have been told Jose Mourinho is ‘probably not’ the man to bring the biggest titles to St. James’ Park.
The three-time Premier League champion has emerged as a potential candidate to replace Eddie Howe in the dugout.
talkSPORT understands Mourinho has admirers amongst the hierarchy at Newcastle.
The Magpies’ owners are enticed by the idea of bringing in a big name appointment if Howe leaves the club this summer.
Roberto Mancini and Andoni Iraola are also contenders for the role.
However, Newcastle have been handed an honest assessment of Mourinho’s current capabilities as an elite manager.
The 63-year-old has been in charge of Benfica since September, having signed a two-year deal with the club.
It follows previous spells at Fenerbahce and Roma since leaving Tottenham Hotspur in 2021.
Huth on ‘hero’ Mourinho
His former defender Robert Huth has reflected on their time together at Chelsea.
The German made 36 appearances for the Blues under Mourinho, winning two Premier League titles and the League Cup.
Speaking exclusively to talkSPORT for Casino.org, Huth detailed what the Portuguese was like as a manager.
He explained: “(Mourinho was) an absolute hero. He was incredibly tough on you, not just me, but everyone.
“He had really high standards, but he also treated you like a son. He was tough, honest, it wasn’t always pleasant, especially when you had a bad game or made a mistake.
“He would call you out, brutally. But at that time in my career, that’s exactly what I needed. I was 18 or 19, and at that age you think you’re the best player ever. You need that tough schooling.
“I didn’t play as much as I wanted, obviously, but he was brilliant. From the moment I arrived until I left, he was exactly what I needed.
“His standards were incredibly high. There were no days off. Preparation was top, team talks were great, training was tough but really enjoyable.
“When you don’t play much, training needs to be spot on, because otherwise it can become a slog but it never was. It was brilliant. I loved it.
“I can’t say anything bad about him, apart from not playing as much but when you look at the team, with players like John Terry, you realise you were learning from top players. Looking back now, I just appreciate it.”
Newcastle warning
As for whether Mourinho can still do it at the top level, Huth added: “Probably not, based on the last few years.
“Everyone has their peak, players, managers, everyone. That doesn’t mean he can’t still do a job, but winning the biggest titles again? Probably not.
“That’s not disrespect, I love the guy but we all have our cycles, and maybe his time has passed. He’s still done well with most clubs he’s been at, but in recent years it’s been tougher.
“That doesn’t take away from what he achieved. There are just coaches now who are probably pushing the game forward more at the moment.”
Mourinho has won 27 trophies as a manager, including league titles in England, Spain, Italy and his native Portugal.
His most recent piece of silverware came with Roma in 2022 as they won the first edition of the Conference League.
Despite his trophy drought, Mourinho is yet to lose a league match since returning to Benfica earlier this season.
Across 26 league matches under him this term, the club have won 18 and drawn eight.
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