Jose Mourinho on Manchester United: "There is plenty of time"

It's all a bit strange, when you stop to think about it. The biggest story in Manchester United's world at the moment -- which makes it one of the biggest stories in football, almost by default -- should be an amazingly simple thing. Louis van Gaal has the job until he doesn't, at which point somebody else gets it. But nature abhors a vacuum and the internet is endless, so every wink must be scrutinised, every nod must be dissected, and every development -- if that's not too grand a word for something that sees absolutely nothing develop -- must be picked apart and pored over and squeezed clean of any possible illumination.

Anyway, Jose Mourinho has said some things about Manchester United and the Mail have put them on their website.

1. When asked if the loss against West Ham] would affect his future, he replied "There is plenty of time";

2. When asked about the team he was managing during the FIFA Legends event on Tuesday night, he replied "I didn't pick them, I'm here on my holidays".

And that's it.

Yep.

Two sentences.

One of which had nothing to do with Manchester United at all.

Luckily for our word count everybody, Mourinho was a little more forthcoming when talking to the Associated Press. He addressed the likely timetable for his return to coaching ...

Of course I miss (it). In July I will be back. So we are in May. May to July is nothing. I keep enjoying my life which I'm doing, keep enjoying my family. But in July I am back.

... the problem a new manager has with preparation ...

It's difficult because when you get a new club in this period normally the clubs they did already their work. I give you an example. I'm not the Chelsea manager but I organized the Chelsea pre-season in many aspects because I did that 10 months ago. Clubs have their commercial, marketing departments always involved in everything. When a new manager arrives in May, June it's very difficult to touch in some points but we know that.

... and why that doesn't affect scouting.

Scouting is done during the year. It's not even a competition like the Euros where you are going to find by miracle some new talents. We know everybody, so it's just a question of trying to choose the players that your team needs because the scouting, with our structures, we do it for many, many players.

He also put a date on when he'd need to start his new job. June 30. Just think how many more "Mourinho? United?" news stories we'll have read before then!