Mourinho's trusted assistant explains why he left Manchester United Former assistant manager of Manchester United, Rui Faria, has disclosed the motive behind his departure. The 43-year-old Portuguese is mostly known for his career-long association with José Mourinho.
He started off as a fitness coach for Mourinho's União de Leiria in 2001 and was around throughout the current Manchester United manager's days at FC Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan, and Real Madrid. However, years of fellowship between the pair came to an end prior to the start of the ongoing season.
Following the departure of Rui Faria, Jose Mourinho has seen his Manchester United side struggle to find their feet in the Premier League on top of being eliminated from the English League Cup. As a result, the underfire Portuguese manager has been tipped for an imminent sack with Zinedine Zidane frequently linked to taking over from him in recent times.
Speaking in an interview with the Times prior to Manchester United's 3-1 defeat to West Ham on Saturday, Rui Faria declared that he left the Old Trafford outfit in May in order to concentrate on his coaching career.
"When I left with a heavy heart, I am first speaking of the friendship with Jose, the relationship that, of course, doesn't finish but it is different.
"My heavy heart was secondly, of course, leaving United, leaving all the good people there. I've always been a humble person with everybody. I gave everyone respect, from the kitchen people, kitman, medical department, everyone, and I was sad to leave."
Rui Faria further stressed that he has no regrets about his decision as it was his family that motivated him the most to take the stance.
"It was not a decision I took overnight, it was a mature decision and I don't regret it. Life has no rehearsals. You live only once. I was living there every day, maybe more time spent at work than with the family.
"I felt the decision was about my family, they had been very patient with me for all these years and it was time for me to think more of them.
"I don't need to go to New York, Barcelona [on sabbatical]. I just wanted to do the basic stuff as a father, have breakfast with them every morning, dinner with them every night, listen to them," he added.
"I remember moments when I was working and they were speaking to me but my head was in another place, worries with my work, and I knew I was being unfair to them.
"They are 10, 11, 13 only once and this goes so quickly and you lose everything. I wouldn't have seen anything if I'd not stopped. I took the opportunity to show them Portugal, they had been in Madrid, Milan or London, but not Portugal. I couldn't be more happy with my decision."
