Jose Mourinho: Gareth Southgate can call me 'John' after 'Gary' mistake

Updated 04/10/2020 at 16:58 GMT

Jose Mourinho has said sorry for calling England boss Gareth Southgate 'Gary', and has said that Southgate can call him 'John' if he wants to get revenge. Mourinho had been calling for striker Harry Kane to be rested while on international duty.

José Mourinho - Tottenham Hotspur

Image credit: Eurosport

Jose Mourinho has apologised for calling England manager Gareth Southgate 'Gary'.

The Tottenham manager called Southgate by the wrong name last week as he called for striker Harry Kane to be rested during international duty.

Many had assumed it was a deliberate dig at Southgate given Mourinho's repeated labelling of Manuel Pellegrini as 'Manuel Pellegrino' and also pointing out that Antonio Conte was previously balding.

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However, before Spurs played Manchester United on Sunday afternoon, he told Sky Sports that he had made an innocent mistake.

He said: "I spoke already with Southgate but I want to share with the public.

"When I told 'Gary Southgate', I promise, and I promise to him that I always thought with so many years [in] England that Gary was a short [for] Gareth.

"I called him Gary and I apologised to him, and I want to make that public because I only have respect [for] him and I thought I was being nice to him.

"So, he can call me John if he wants, and I will accept that."