Jose Mourinho joined the League Managers Association's Hall of Fame on Sunday. The former Chelsea boss, now in charge of Real Madrid, was speaking as a guest of honour at the LMA's annual Hall of Fame dinner at London's Park Lane hotel.

On joining Sir Alex Ferguson, Sir Matt Busby, Bob Paisley and Arsene Wenger in the Hall of Fame, Mourinho said: "I am very proud of this because I am not British and I spent just over three years in the Barclays Premier League - which is not a significant time to create a big history.

"But the time I spent here was the best time of my career so far - and that's despite winning the Champions League in Portugal and Italy.

"This is special for me as I get to see people I like very much and respect. I still have a home here and me and my family are still in love and will always be in love with this country. So to be back is almost to be at home.

"The atmosphere, the intensity and the emotion in England is something you cannot compare with other countries and for somebody who is really in love with the game, as I am, this is the place where you enjoy it the most."

The LMA encourages younger coaches who want to be managers to serve an apprenticeship and have a mentor - and Mourinho spoke of his time learning from Sir Bobby Robson at Barcelona.

He explained: "I was a lucky man because I have had some crucial moments in my career and one of the crucial moments was when I had the chance to work with him - not just because he was as a great manager but he was a great person.

"I think everybody who had the chance to meet him and had a few moments, or in my case a few years, felt privileged.

"I learned so much from my experiences with him. I always remember with a little smile that after I was upset after a defeat he said 'don't be sad because in the other dressing room someone is bouncing around with happiness' - so I always remember good moments with him and every moment was a good one."