NO MOUR MOVES... FOR NOW
BY
AROUND Christmas time, it seemed like Jose Mourinho’s time as one of football’s greatest managers was coming to an end.
Roma were beaten 3-0 at home by Inter Milan with all three goals coming in the opening 45 minutes. It was the first time a Mourinho side had been this far behind at half-time.
Just two months earlier another embarrassing first, with Roma losing 6-0 against Norway’s Bodo-Glimt in the European Conference League – the Portuguese’s biggest-ever defeat.
Both setbacks were met with typical Mourinho rants, sparking talk that the inevitable toxic meltdown, which has preceded sackings across Europe at Chelsea and Manchester United, was picking up momentum.
Fast-forward to the end of the season and a joyful Mourinho has successfully rebooted himself as the Roman mod-father, riding around the training ground on an iconic Vespa scooter.
UEFA’s new competition, the Conference League, has gone from producing one of the worst moments of his career to one of the best, with a transformed Roma beating Feyenoord in the final.
A sixth-place finish in Serie A had already guaranteed a Europa League spot next season and, from appearing to be a managerial down and out, the 59-year-old is back in fashion.
So much so that Paris SaintGermain have been making serious overtures as they seek a successor to Mauricio Pochettino in their quest to finally land the Champions League.
But there’s no shifting him from the Eternal City where he is already looking forward to a new season in which former Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham (above) will once again play a focal part in Mourinho’s ambitions.
After Tottenham dispensed with his services just a few days before the League Cup Final against Manchester City, there was a belief that football would not see him at a big club again.
Roma had other ideas and Mourinho now has 26 trophies to his name following last month’s success in Tirana.
And it was an emotional Mourinho who savoured every moment of the victory against Feyenoord.
It may have been in Europe’s third competition, but it resonated for both manager and the club and it is why PSG will have to look elsewhere for a new manager.
“I know what it means to these people at Roma. My emotion was for them,” Mourinho explained.