OFFICIAL: Mourinho is The New Fenerbahçe Coach
The Portuguese coach José Mourinho has signed his new contract with Fenerbahçe, the second most successful team in Turkey, in a crowded ceremony at the club's stadium in Istanbul, in front of thousands of fans.
"Football is passion. And there is no better place to feel this passion," declared Mourinho after signing the contract.
"First, I want to thank you for your love. The love I have felt since the moment my name was linked to Fenerbahçe," said the coach amid the fans' cheers.
"I want to work for Turkish football, I want to work for the Turkish League, I want to help improve it. But the most important thing for me is not Turkish football, nor the Turkish League, but Fenerbahçe," he affirmed.
Referring to the enormous expectation his arrival has generated among the fans, he highlighted: "Normally, the coach is loved after winning. Now I feel that I am loved before winning. And that, for me, is a great responsibility."
"I promise that from now on, I belong to your family. This shirt is my skin," he added.
The club's president, Ali Koç, described Mourinho, who coached Real Madrid between 2010 and 2013, as "one of the five best coaches in the world" and called his arrival at Fenerbahçe a "historic step" for the Turkish team.
The club has not disclosed the contract terms, but the Turkish press claims that Mourinho has a two-year agreement, extendable for another year if he wins.
Fenerbahçe finished second in the Turkish Super League, three points behind Galatasaray and 32 points ahead of the third team, Trabzonspor.
