Mourinho ‘not elite’ but could take Newcastle to the ‘next step’, talkSPORT told

Jose Mourinho isn’t an elite manager, insists Jason Cundy, but the Roma boss could be help Newcastle in their quest to reach the top.

The Portuguese secured his fifth European trophy as his side won the inaugural Europa Conference League.

He could be given the freedom of the Eternal City having guided Roma to their first ever European crown and their first piece of silverware since 2008.

However, the achievement hasn’t impressed Cundy, who reiterated his point that Mourinho is no longer a top manager.

“He’s not elite, it’s not an elite trophy… it’s the Papa John’s Trophy of Europe,” Cundy said on The Sports Bar.

Whether Mourinho, who’s managed Chelsea twice, Manchester United and Tottenham, will make a return to the Premier League was discussed on Wednesday night’s show.

And Cundy believes there could come a point where the newly mega rich Newcastle take a punt on the Special One.

“His time is done with the big heads, the elite,” Cundy said.

“He won’t go to United again, he won’t go to Chelsea again, Liverpool won’t have him, Manchester City won’t have him, Spurs won’t have him back and I’m not sure right now Arsenal would be a wise move.

“The one that kind of does make me think a little bit, it’s not impossible for him to end up there, is Newcastle.

“I’m not sacking Eddie Howe, I’m saying if Newcastle are looking, it may or may not happen, but there comes a point where they feel they need that next step.”

But Cundy warned the Magpies’ top brass that hiring Mourinho would bring plenty of baggage, even if it meant he won them trophies.

“But here’s what would happen. He’d come in, happy and smiling, get you to a final, probably win you a trophy – unless it’s Spurs!” Cundy added.

“Then things will start to turn dark. Everyone at the club will start squabbling, he leaves and there’s a huge cloud over the club.

“He’ll leave the club in a worse place than he actually found it but you’ll probably have a trophy to show for it.

“So it depends where Newcastle want to be. If there comes a point where they get to a position where they need that next step.

“If you told a Newcastle fan now in two-three years time that’s going to be them, there’s not many that would turn that down.

“He might be able to take Newcastle to that level, to get them into the Europa League. He’s capable of doing that still.”