Internazionale first approached Jose Mourinho after they exited the Champions League in March, the new coach revealed on Tuesday.
The 45-year-old Portuguese was unveiled to the Italian media after agreeing a three-year contract to replace Roberto Mancini.
Mourinho addressed the press in near flawless Italian and revealed he had been learning the language since the club first made contact nearly three months ago.
He said: "I think the truth is important and the truth is that the first time Inter spoke to me was the day after they lost the second match against Liverpool (on March 11).
"I started to learn Italian then, but it is easy - I only have problems with the temporal verbs, but the words come easy."
However, Mourinho admitted there was another reason for him becoming so fluent.
"I am very intelligent," he said.
Mancini initially announced he would step down at the end of the season after the Liverpool defeat and, although he later reversed his decision, Inter revealed that outburst had been a big factor in their decision to sack him last week.
Mourinho has been out of work since he parted company with Chelsea last September and admitted the west London club still had a place in his heart.
In a three-year spell at Stamford Bridge, the former Porto boss endeared himself to Blues fans, most notably by guiding them to consecutive Premier League titles in his first two seasons in charge.
Despite his memorable time in west London, Mourinho wants to focus on a new chapter in his life at the San Siro.
"I will always, always, always support Chelsea and wish them all the best with their new coach, but if Chelsea meet Inter in the Champions League, then I won't know any of them," he said.
"Chelsea is over for me - not in my heart, but in my thoughts.
"At this moment, I want to start a new life and I do not want to talk about Chelsea.
"It will be hard, but I want to have the same passion with the fans of Inter and the same relationship with the players and carry joy to Inter in the same way I did for Chelsea."
Mourinho said he "cannot wait" to get working with the team on July 15, but said the first thing he will tell them is to forget about the past.
Inter have won the past three Serie A titles under their former boss Mancini, however Mourinho has warned his players that will count for nothing now that he has arrived at the club.
"A cycle has ended with a great coach like Roberto (Mancini), but this is a new page," he said.
"This is the start of a new life for Inter.
"We have to forget what we have won - that has been won and is history.
"We need to have new aims. I like to win and always put the past aside and think to the future.
"If somebody tells me that Inter won the league last season, I prefer to say Inter have won it 16 times, but those 16 are now history."
Mourinho also insisted he no longer wants to be regarded as special, despite once describing himself as "the special one".
"I am Mourinho - period," he said.
"I have arrived to a special club and I believe I am a great coach but I don't want to be special."
Mourinho, a controversial figure in England, because of his outspoken nature, claims he will not have a different approach in Serie A.
"I don't change," he said.
"I am the same person as I was before, with the same mission and the same passion for my work.
"I have always believed that I would like to work in Italy and at a great club.
"I want to thank (Inter president) Massimo Moratti and (sporting director) Marco Branca that have given me this opportunity.
"For me this is a very important challenge but I believe that it could be very enjoyable also for you (the media)."
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Comment 1 - 7 of 7
Jose mourinho will always be a special coach despite him refusing it now.The premier league is an obvious example of this;he came at a time the premier league was dominated by two teams i.e.Manchester united and Arsenal.He changed the physique and mentality of the english game by leading chelsea to an unprecedented double and other couples of throphys.He built a solid relationship between himself and the press as well as with his players.When he left the premier league was shattered.We could see the encomiums that followed from the players,his fellow managers and the press.I belive HE is going to be an instant success in the SERIA A.Even soccer fans in Nigeria are beginning to join internazionale milano just because of this WONDERFUL MAN.GO ON JOSE ,SHINE ON, YOUR FANS ARE SOLIDLY BEHIND YOU.ON BEHALF OF INTERNAZIONALE MILANO SUPPORTERS CLUB IN NIGERIA AND AFRICA WE WISH ASTOUNDING SUCCESS AS YOU TAKE THE MANTLE OF LEADERSHIP OF INTER MILAN.
From Dr.ABDULAZIZ
A FAN OF INTER MILAN AND JOSE MOURINHO
Jose mourinho will always be a special coach despite him refusing it now.The premier league is an obvious example of this;he came at a time the premier league was dominated by two teams i.e.Manchester united and Arsenal.He changed the physique and mentality of the english game by leading chelsea to an unprecedented double and other couples of throphys.He built a solid relationship between himself and the press as well as with his players.When he left the premier league was shattered.We could see the encomiums that followed from the players,his fellow managers and the press.I belive HE is going to be an instant success in the SERIA A.Even soccer fans in Nigeria are beginning to join internazionale milano just because of this WONDERFUL MAN.GO ON JOSE ,SHINE ON, YOUR FANS ARE SOLIDLY BEHIND YOU.ON BEHALF OF INTERNAZIONALE MILANO SUPPORTERS CLUB IN NIGERIA AND AFRICA WE WISH ASTOUNDING SUCCESS AS YOU TAKE THE MANTLE OF LEADERSHIP OF INTER MILAN.
From Dr.ABDULAZIZ
A FAN OF INTER MILAN AND JOSE MOURINHO
as anyone seen any Manager celebrate goal like The Special One does... thats what you call love for your team
"I started to learn Italian then, but it is easy - I only have problems with the temporal verbs, but the words come easy."
However, Mourinho admitted there was another reason for him becoming so fluent.
"I am very intelligent," he said.
Happy to hear that he is back!
Despite he has refused to be named as the Special One but I think Jose Mourinho deserve that name cause since his arrival from Porto F.C, he brought special moment in FA Barclays Premier League after his two successful seasons at Stamford Bridge...!!! I think he will do the same at SERIE A in next season and Now Jose Mourinho he'd like to face new Challenge in the Serie A especially in defending the Scudetto and it's sound good to have the Special One back in the Coaching Staff but at the moment it is in Serie A...!!!! Honestly Mourinho will have to lift the UEFA Champions League Trophy next season so as to overtake Roberto Mancini SUCCESS at Guisseppe Meazza Side.
Am Prof. Rudewa H. Tully
D.I.T Dept. of Electronics &Telecoms Engineering.
Dar es Salaam United Republic of Tanzania.
Jose Mourinho IS The Special One and transformed Chelsea from also-rans to championship winners. He has a place in my heart as a Chelsea fan and i wish him continued success at Inter Milan (as long as it isn't at the expense of Chelsea!).
STEVE (MARGATE)
It's so good to have Jose back in the coaching world. Even though he may not consider himself special, his coaching is straight out the top drawer. He lost in two Champion's League Semi-Finals in three years at Chelsea, and both of those ties could have gone either way. I would imagine Inter will make it deeper next year in the Champion's League than the past two. This I guarantee.
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