Real Madrid fans were singing his name after crashing out of the Champions League, but former president Ramon Calderon has warned against bringing Jose Mourinho back to the Bernabeu.
Current Real Madrid boss Santiago Solari's future is under severe scrutiny after Ajax dumped them out of the Champions League on Tuesday with a humiliating 4-1 victory in the Spanish capital.
That came after successive defeats to Barcelona in a week to send them out of the Copa Del Rey and create a 12-point gap between their table-topping arch rivals and third-placed Real.
While the fans, and the bookies, have Mourinho as favourite to return to the Real Madrid hot seat, former president Ramon Calderon has warned the club they'd be making a huge mistake in bringing the former Chelsea and Man Utd man back.
Mourinho, out of work since he was sacked by Manchester United in December, has been linked with a return to the club where he won one league title and one Copa Del Rey between 2010 and 2013.
Jose Mourinho is a man in demand...👀
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) March 6, 2019
Former @RealMadrid club president Ramon Calderon says he is the club's first-choice for their next manager and has "been called in the last weeks."
Calderon - who was president of Madrid between 2006 and 2009 - admitted he expects it to happen but when asked if he would like to see the Portuguese back at the Bernabeu, he told ESPN FC: "Absolutely not. I've already mentioned the amount of damage he caused here.
"His style of play is not what the Bernabeu wants. What the fans want is what we've just seen from Ajax; bravery, aggression with a lot of speed and boldness. Mourinho doesn't do this."
Mourinho favoured by Real Madrid
Those are certainly complaints that fans of United would recognise. However, Calderon admitted current president Florentino Perez, who hired Mourinho in 2010, has a different view and the ex-Chelsea boss is favourite for the job.
"I believe that he will be here next year as he's the only manager who the president respects and it's because he puts the dressing room in order and he demands the players to work hard," he said.
Solari took charge in the wake of the Julen Lopetegui's brief spell at the club at the start of the season, but he has not been able to keep pace with Barcelona amid growing reports of dysfunction within the squad.
The holders are OUT! @GullitR & @marceldesailly don't think Solari can survive as coach much longer...#beINUCL #UCL #RMAAJA 📺 HD1https://t.co/YdgHvwgz7F pic.twitter.com/gyuineEx53
— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS) March 5, 2019
The 42-year-old admitted he did not know his fate after a week which has effectively ended Madrid's season two months early.
"Who knows?" he said. "If we knew the future we would all play the lottery.
"It was a tough week for us. Three important games in a row and it didn't turn out the way we wanted. Sometimes football is that way. I don't have much more to say.
"We need to dedicate ourselves to work, and not give up - in this tough year, which we knew may be tough and it is proving to be tough, but here we are playing with our hearts."
