Mourinho turns down Syria job offer

Jose Mourinho has politely declined the Syrian football federation’s offer for him to coach the war-torn nation’s team.

His agent Jorge Mendes’ company Gestifute confirmed that the Portuguese coach received an offer from the Syrians.

The former Chelsea manager has replied that “while he felt honoured to receive the invitation, he cannot at the moment accept it,” the company said.

Mourinho has been without a team since leaving Chelsea in December.

Syria’s national team, which has never qualified for the World Cup, is to play in Asia’s third round of qualifying, scheduled to begin in August.