Jason Cundy shares hidden meaning behind Mourinho’s Rangers appointment comments
Jose Mourinho has admitted he would consider managing Rangers in the future, but Jason Cundy does not believe supporters can take those comments at face value.
Barry Ferguson is gearing up his team to face Fenerbahce in the first leg of their Round of 16 tie in the Europa League on Thursday.
The Ibrox outfit have been in fine form during most of their European games this season and will no be looking to continue that trend when they face Turkish Super Lig outfit Fenerbahce.
Ahead of the game, Mourinho said he would be open to managing either Rangers or Celtic one day.
Cundy believes Mourinho doesn’t want to rattle Rangers fans
On paper, both Fenerbahce and Rangers have similar quality teams with each having their own standout players.
While the Gers’ form outside of Europe has been well below par, Mourinho currently has Fenerbahce sitting second in the Turkish Super Lig, just four points behind arch-rivals Galatasaray.
The Turkish outfit have won four of their last five domestic games and will be eager to continue that run of form against the Ibrox outfit on Thursday.
| Position | Team | Points |
| 1st | Galatasaray | 65 |
| 2nd | Fenerbahce | 61 |
| 3rd | Samsunspor | 47 |
| 4th | Besiktas | 44 |
While some of the Gers’ fans may have thought that Mourinho was lauding Rangers in case he ever gets offered the managerial role, Cundy believes it was for an entirely different reason.
“What he’s doing there, I think he’s quite smart. He doesn’t want to upset Rangers, he doesn’t want to get on the wrong side of them,” he said while live on talkSPORT (5 March).
“He’s pretty smart Jose, if he came out now and said ‘no the league is garbage, it’s a lot of old rubbish’ all he’d be doing is rattling everybody.”
Rangers have a big task ahead v Fenerbahce
Even though the Gers may have made a good name for themselves against the likes of Manchester United and Tottenham in the Europa League already this season, Thursday’s clash is a completely different ball game.
The competition is now in the knockout stages so every goal counts, and while there have been times earlier in the term when the Gers have taken their foot off the gas, their game against Fenerbahce can’t be one of them.
Especially since the Europa League is the last thing Ferguson’s men have going for them this term after being knocked out of the Scottish Cup after an embarrassing 1-0 defeat to Queen’s Park last month.
Only time will tell what the future holds, but if there’s any time for Hamza Igamane to re-find his scoring boots, Thursday’s clash against Mourinho’s men would be the ideal time for that to happen.