Romelu Lukaku snubbed Jose Mourinho on his list of the four managers who ‘changed his life’ – despite playing under him for three different clubs.
Napoli striker Lukaku first worked with the Special One at Chelsea before linking up with him again at Manchester United and, more recently, Roma on loan.
He failed to make the grade during his first stint at Stamford Bridge and after being sent out on loan to West Brom and Everton, he joined the latter permanently. Lukaku excelled there, earning himself a £75million move to United.
The frontman was initially reluctant to join United and admitted years later that he regretted being influenced by a phone call from then-Red Devils boss Mourinho.
Last year, Mourinho again came calling to convince him to reunite with him at Roma, admitting, ‘We have a good team, but we are missing a champion.’
Mourinho even spoke openly after Lukaku’s need to ‘feel loved’ to perform at his top level, but not even this more subtle approach was enough for him to make the Belgian’s list of the four most influential managers throughout his career.
Lukaku named Antonio Conte among that group of ‘footballing fathers’ before telling La Gazzetta dello Sport: ‘Yes, just like Roberto Martinez was in Belgium, [Ronald] Koeman at Everton and Ariel Jacobs at Anderlecht.’
Speaking in a previous interview with Corriere dello Sport, however, Lukaku insisted he held no grudges with Mourinho and that he would ‘never speak badly’ of him.
‘Absolutely not,’ said Lukaku. ‘Jose is a winner. I had him twice, first at Manchester United and then at Roma. Something happened between him and I don’t know who, and I didn’t want to get involved. I will never speak badly of Jose.
‘At Roma, he didn’t have a top squad, but he still went all the way. I always wish him the best, he’s doing great things in Turkey, too.’
However, Lukaku had even warmer words for Conte, under whom he won two Serie A titles at Inter Milan and Napoli, most recently last season.
‘We have the same mentality: improvement only comes with hard work,’ Lukaku said.
‘He has a footballing idea that suits my characteristics, and when I’m at home, I try to learn the concepts of the game that he wants.
‘Our relationship has always worked because he knows how to give me those motivations to try and be the strongest every day.’
