‘He can name me John!’

Jose Mourinho has apologised to Gareth Southgate, insisting he meant no offence to the England boss after referring to him as ‘Gary’ final week.

The Tottenham supervisor made a public plea for Southgate to not overwork his star striker Harry Kane in the course of the worldwide break, following a gruelling run of membership fixtures.

Mourinho referred to Southgate as ‘Gary’ on a number of events as he spoke about England’s use of Kane, with some taking it as an indication of disrespect.

Nevertheless, the Tottenham boss insists he merely thought it was a shortened model of Gareth and has spoken to the England supervisor to make sure there isn’t any ill-feeling between them.

“I spoke already with Southgate however I need to inform the general public,” he stated, after Spurs’ 6-1 drubbing of Manchester United on Sunday.

“After I stated Gary Southgate I promise, and I promised to him, that I at all times thought, with so a few years in England, I at all times thought that Gary was quick for Gareth.

“I referred to as him Gary and I apologised to him and I need to make that public as a result of I solely have respect for him.

“I believed I used to be being good to him and in the long run I used to be insulting him! So, he can name me John if he desires, and I’ll settle for that.”

Southgate final week performed down any options of a fall-out with Mourinho.

He did, nonetheless, inform the Spurs boss it’s a ‘two-way avenue’ and he additionally wants to guard Kane for England forward of subsequent summer time’s European Championship.

Southgate stated: “I’m a bit disenchanted that I’m not considered one of his pals, Steve (Holland) is, however in equity Steve helped him to a league title so that’s comprehensible.

“All Jose must do is ensure that in April and Might he has to take care of Harry Kane for us as a result of there are 55million folks counting on that. That clearly works each methods.”