Mourinho hints at Coach of the Year award fix

Mar 19, 2013 3:28:00 PM

The 50-year-old did not attend the gala to unveil the recipient of the managerial honour in January, and he has now set the record straight behind his absence

Jose Mourinho has attacked the voting process behind crowning the winner of the 2012 Fifa Coach of the Year prize.

The Real Madrid boss was named as one of the final three candidates for the managerial accolade in November, but intimated that he would not be attending the award ceremony, citing his side's Copa del Rey commitments.

However, in a television interview due to be aired on Tuesday, Mourinho suggested that the real reason for his absence was due to the irregular nature of how the votes were counted in determining the recipient of the honour.

"Do I regret not attending the [Coach of the Year] gala? No, it was the right decision," he told Record.

"They called me more than once. Two or three people said they voted for me but they appeared in another vote so I decided not to go."

Spain's Vicente del Bosque was ultimately announced as the Coach of the Year following La Roja's Euro 2012 success.