Mourinho ‘has an eye on job at St James’

FORMER NEWCASTLE MAN FEELS JOSE WILL WANT TO FOLLOW SIR BOBBY TO MANAGE ON TYNESIDE

- By LEE RYDER Chief Newcastle writer

NEWCASTLE United signed Helder Cristovao in what was deemed a major coup in 1999 - and even after only playing just a dozen games for the Magpies he left as a cult hero.

The classy defender scored at the Stadium of Light in a 2-2 draw with Sunderland after helping keep relegation-haunted Newcastle in the topflight.

In short, Helder helped lay the foundations at the start of the Sir Bobby Robson era before resuming a successful career in Portugal with Benfica after playing in La Liga with Deportivo La Coruna, then Paris St-Germain.

As two of his former clubs go head-to-head in the Champions League, Helder admits he still thinks about some of the lessons he was taught by Sir Bobby every day.

And he predicts that Jose Mourinho will take a moment to remember Robson himself on his flying visit to Tyneside as Benfica boss.

Helder said: “Sir Bobby Robson’s statue was richly deserved. I was there at the start of the project. I think Mourinho will spend a few minutes paying tribute next to the statue.

“Bobby was very important for Jose, and he was very important for me. We both have that link.

“For me Bobby was very kind, the love he has for the game and the passion is something you can’t buy. I am a coach now, and I always try to take that on to the training pitch, his passion. I took a lot of things from Bobby and I want to be a coach like him.

“In this moment, I am waiting for the next project, but I would love to get an opportunity in England or Scotland. It is difficult, but I have a lot to bring.”