Jose Mourinho has revealed that Manchester United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward was one of the first people to contact him after he was handed the Tottenham job.
Portuguese Mourinho signed a four year contract with Spurs on Wednesday following Mauricio Pochettino's departure from north London.
Mourinho had been out of management since he was sacked as United boss 11 months ago but it turns out his former employees have been quick to forgive and forget.
Woodward and managing director Richard Arnold were among the first of 700 phone calls sent to the ex-Chelsea chief, with their messages "respectful", "empathetic" and had "feeling".
"Maybe I get the opportunity to apologise for not answering 500 (phone calls) of them that I couldn't answer," Mourinho told Sky Sports. "I have 700 but only had time to answer 200.
"But it was curious to see, from my last club, so many people showing me that respect, empathy and feeling. It was nice.
"All of them were special. The first one was from Richard Arnold. The third, fourth or fifth was Ed Woodward. And they were my bosses."
Mourinho has swapped Woodward and Arnold for the notoriously tricky Daniel Levy at Spurs.
But the three-time Premier League winner reckons that he and Levy will be like peas in a pods after a successful first first meeting.
"I think we will get on well," he said. "He explained to me the vision for the club and I embraced that. It was one of the most important reasons I accepted. So when I did that, it's a very good start."
Mourinho begins his reign against West Ham on Saturday.
“I had a feeling I was going to get a club mid-season," he said.
"I knew I would be in a situation where I would get only one or two days before my first game. I cannot come here and think it is about myself. It is about the players and going from a base of stability.
“These last 11 months (of being out of management) have been used to think and to prepare.
"You never lose your DNA. You are what you are - for the good things and the bad things. I know in my career that I’ve made mistakes.
“I’m not going to make the same mistakes. I’m going to make new mistakes. I’m not going to say I’m more fit. I was always fit.”
