Mourinho hits out at coaching awards

Jose Mourinho has attacked the voting process behind crowning the winner of the 2012 FIFA Coach of the Year prize.

The Real Madrid coach was named as one of the final three candidates for the managerial accolade in November, but intimated that he would not be attending the award ceremony, citing his side’s Copa del Rey commitments.

However, in a television interview due to be aired on Tuesday, Mourinho suggested that the real reason for his absence was due to the irregular nature of how the votes were counted in determining the winner.

“Do I regret not attending the (Coach of the Year) gala? No, it was the right decision,” he told Record.

“They called me more than once. Two or three people said they voted for me but they appeared in another vote so I decided not to go.”

Spain’s Vicente del Bosque was ultimately announced as the Coach of the Year following their Euro 2012 success.