JOSE MOURINHO, the Chelsea manager, claims he was close to taking the England manager's job seven years ago - but turned it down on the advice of his wife.

The Portuguese was out of work when the Football Association were looking to replace Steve McClaren.

"How close was I to taking it? This close," he said, hovering a pen over an imaginary dotted line.

"But it was the right decision. My wife was right. She told me not to take it. I cannot wait two years for a big competition. It's not for me. My wife was saying, 'No football, no matches is not for you'."