Mourinho is back at Old Trafford with Inter Milan ahead of tomorrow's Champions League last 16 decider.

It is his first competitive outing in England since he was dumped by Chelsea 18 months ago and the build-up has been dominated by talk that he could one day return as Ferguson's successor.

Mourinho hastily rejected the authenticity of quotes attributed to him suggesting that he would be the automatic choice as Ferguson's replacement.

Indeed, while the former Stamford Bridge chief did nothing to dispel anyone from the thought that he will one day return to Old Trafford permanently, his tongue was only half in his cheek when he claimed Ferguson is going nowhere for quite a while yet.

"In 20 years maybe," smiled Mourinho when asked if he might eventually become United manager.

"I think Sir Alex might be here that long.

"He is tough, he is strong, he is happy, he loves it and he wins. Let him be here for another 20 years. I hope he is."

Certainly Mourinho did not give the impression of a man in love with life in Serie A and the specifics of a chat with former United stalwart and current Everton skipper Phil Neville at Manchester's Hilton Hotel last night would be intriguing.

Not that Mourinho was shedding any light on the chance meeting in a place Inter were staying and Neville owns an apartment.

"He wants to be a manager in the future and we were speaking about the difficult job I have and the one he wants to have one day," he said.

Although he has often spoken about the tactical battle of Italy, it seems deep down Mourinho's preference is for the more passionate arena of Premier League combat, where the desire to win is so strong.

He also feels there is an element of negativity about the Italian game which does not exist in England.

"Our Italian friends see football in a different way," said Mourinho, which seemed a little bizarre given half the people he was addressing were from his current home.

"In difficult moments, they see football as more of a drama.

"I have never been like that and that view improved further by working in England because there football is never a drama. In England football is always passion and pleasure.

"That is the feeling I want to give to my players tomorrow but for three weeks they have been speaking about the drama of Inter always going out in the last 16.

"I prefer to think in a different way. I prefer to think about the possibility of Inter knocking out the world champions. It is a different way at looking at the picture."

In fact, Inter's last-16 misery only stretches back two years - they reached the quarter-finals the year before that - although that is long before Mourinho's time.

Indeed, though it seems much longer, Mourinho was a virtual unknown only five years ago when he brought his Porto side to Old Trafford at exactly the same stage as the Champions League has reached now and left with a scoring draw thanks to Costinha's effort that knocked United - and Ferguson - out.

Porto went on to win the tournament, launching the careers of men such as Ricardo Carvalho and Deco, as well as their manager, who promptly left for Chelsea.

"Because of that goal we could win the competition," reflected Mourinho. "Without it we wouldn't have even reached the quarter-finals.

"Porto was under my skin because it was my team. I made it from day one.

"It was a team I started with kids. We were champions of Portugal in that first season, then we won the UEFA Cup, the year after it was the Champions League.

"It was a great achievement with a group of boys nobody respected too much.

"To come here and beat Manchester United, then win the competition, was something fantastic.

"A few years later people knew the players; Carvalho, Deco. At that time people didn't know them or the crazy manager running down the touchline.

"That was the goal that opened doors in England and my career was never the same again."