England are on top of the world, says Mourinho

Jose Mourinho says English club football is now the world's No 1 game as he prepares for a return to management next month.

Despite Newcastle manager Kevin Keegan's claims that the Barclays Premier League is boring, Mourinho said: 'I love England. The time there gave me very, very, very much pleasure and we contributed a lot to English club football becoming the dominating force in the world.'

Mourinho denied he is jealous of Chelsea finally making it to the Champions League Final without him. 'So what if they win the Champions League? I won it, too! So what if they win the Premier League? I won it, too! I don't accept such feelings as envy and never rejoice in other people's failings. Only weak people, only losers, have such feelings.'

Mourinho admitted, too, that he regrets not walking out of Chelsea four months before being sacked.

'I should have left at the end of last season,' he said. 'I had an offer from one of the greatest clubs in Europe, but I promised the (Chelsea) fans that I would not leave on my own initiative. I made a mistake and four months later I was fired.'

Mourinho also spoke about rejecting the England job. 'It wasn't the point that it was team England, just that I'm not 60, I'm 45. I want a game every week, or even better, three times a week.'

He admitted he will return to work, in either Spain or Italy, in time for next season.