Aitor Karanka rejected chance to continue as Mou’s number two.
Middlesborough boss Aitor Karanka has revealed Jose Mourinho wanted him to be assistant manager at Chelsea.
Mourinho was assisted by Karanka for three years at Real Madrid before returning to Stamford Bridge this summer, while Karanka was appointed manager at the Riverside last month.
But the Spaniard, who was out of work before succeeding Tony Mobraw, says he turned down the chance to continue as Mourinho’s number two in West London.
“One day I walked into training and he looked right at me, asking me why I hadn’t replied to his messages,” the former Real defender told Spanish daily Marca.
“I pulled out my phone and the message said ‘if we go there, do you want to come with me?’ At first I said of course I would, but it would have been a different league, in a new country.”
Despite rejecting the opportunity, Karanka says he learnt a great deal from the former Porto and Inter Milan boss and enjoyed his time under the 50-year-old.
Karanka continued: “He said ‘I’m going to make you face the press one day, that way you’ll learn’
“I thought he was half-joking. Sometimes he’d question something I’d said. ‘I’ve got to do it your way, I’m your number two’, I’d reply.
“I learned something every minute under Mourinho. He’s always three or four steps ahead, like at Old Trafford, when he brought on Modric after Nani was sent off.”
Karanka has had a tough start to life on Teeside, losing two and winning one of his first three matches.
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