AS.com

Real Madrid coach José Mourinho will appear on the front cover of the November edition of the magazine 'Ronda Iberia Magazine'. In the feature, the Portuguese coach talks about certain aspects outside of sport that have brought him to the pinnacle of football.

Mourinho insists that his memories "have always been connected to football, since the day I was born" as his father was also connected to the sport. He added that his father taught him honesty: "It seems trivial that we should be honest in the times we live in, but it's what I really think. You have to be honest with yourself and those around you. I try to apply this in the work I do and I'll continue to do the same."

The Madrid coach refused to be nostalgic, though he did say: "I'm approaching 50, round numbers normally mean something. My home city is preparing an event to mark the occasion and I have to admit if I think back it does make me smile."

"It's becoming increasingly more difficult to become a trainer, it's not the same now as it was 10, 20 or 30 years ago because it's a profession that is evolving all the time. A trainer's obligations go far beyond just choosing 11 players, teaching them tactics and making substitutions", Mourinho said as he also mentioned a conversation with a professor on his first day at University: "I told him: 'I'm training to be a football coach so I don't really know what I'm doing in your class'. He replied: 'If you want to be a big football coach you have to know a lot more than just football'. When I think about it now he was right."

Mourinho admitted that: "I knew early on that to succeed in the profession I had to go abroad. You need to travel and face new challenges in order to grow." Mourinho also explained that: "When I started coaching my aim was to work in Portugal, England, Italy and Spain. That's what I've done. When my time at Madrid comes to an end I'm not sure where my career will take me."

Despite his position's high public profile, the Real Madrid coach insisted: "I've never thought of giving it up. The difficult times you have socially are things you have to deal with at particular times. They're things that come up, like when your son asks you not to go into the school because he doesn't want any fuss, or when your wife tells you to stay in the car when she goes to buy something in a shop. It's the price I have to pay for working in a profession I'm passionate about."

Mourinho was also clear about the role of football society today: "Football is a social phenomenon that cannot be compared. It's the most universal language - more people speak the language of football than Spanish or English. Football is a global phenomenon that unites races, cultures and religion, that's why we have such a huge social responsibility."

In many ways the top players are an example to society, but in some ways they are far from it. As much as you use your emotional intelligence in your behaviour, there are times when you don't control your emotions and end up making mistakes. The media also enter into these situations because they are very competitive. Maybe we should all work towards making sure the good examples are far greater than the bad ones," Mourinho said about the importance of the players' behaviour on a social and worldwide level.

The Real Madrid coach also stressed that he felt: "More loved than people think. "There are many supporters, even from rival clubs, that admire and respect me as a professional and a person." In terms of new challenges, he said he was: "Constantly fighting with myself. My ambitions are always to be the best, although I am thinking about others more and more. I think that's a good thing."