Hernan Crespo interested in return to England as manager

Former Chelsea striker Hernan Crespo would relish a management job in the Premier League or Championship after learning the tricks of the trade from Tottenham head coach Jose Mourinho.

Crespo is currently manager of Defensa y Justicia in his native Argentina after ending a glittering playing career in 2012 that saw him score 273 times in 608 appearances for several top European sides.

Twenty-five of those goals came for Chelsea during a five-year stint between 2003 and 2008 in which he was not always the first-choice forward, especially when Mourinho was at Stamford Bridge.

It was a similar story when the pair were reunited a few years later at Inter Milan yet Crespo holds no grudges as he paid tribute to the Portuguese for demonstrating what it takes to become a first-rate manager.

“Jose showed me the way that it’s not only picking the first XI to be a manager,” Crespo said.

“It’s understanding everything, 360 degrees, in terms of communication with journalists, understand the governance, the group of players, the group of coaches. You are in the middle of all these groups.

“Maybe it was about my age that I opened my eyes and understood better but Jose Mourinho showed me the way to be a top manager.”

Crespo – who is part of the new Soccer Aid World XI FC team playable in FIFA 20 with an online competition on June 27 raising money to help stop the spread of coronavirus and limit the impact on children’s lives – would be open to returning to England in a coaching capacity in the future.

Also reflecting on his spell in West London, Crespo said: “It was really one of the best experiences of my life because the people are so kind to me, the fans, the atmosphere, they respect the people in training grounds.

“The Premier League is better than before, it grows and grows. Why not in the future? I want to come back to work there, in term of professional I want to deserve to be part of the Championship or Premier League as a coach.”

Two of Crespo’s former Chelsea team-mates have already gone into coaching, with Frank Lampard now Blues boss while John Terry is assistant to Dean Smith at Aston Villa.

Crespo added: “Both were real leaders inside the dressing room. They don’t surprise me that they are now a manager, – I think it is an assistant coach, John Terry, at Aston Villa and Frankie is now a manager of Chelsea. It’s beautiful to see them happy.”