Jose Mourinho to take over as Roma manager
Jose Mourinho will take over as Roma’s manager at the end of the current season.
The Portuguese has landed himself another job just 15 days after being sacked by Tottenham.
Roma announced earlier yesterday that current manager Paulo Fonseca will leave his position at the end of the current campaign.
Club president Dan Friedkin and vice president Ryan Friedkin said on the club’s official website: “We are thrilled and delighted to welcome Jose Mourinho into the AS Roma family.
“A great champion who has won trophies at every level, Jose will provide tremendous leadership and experience to our ambitious project.
“The appointment of Jose is a huge step in building a long-term and consistent winning culture throughout the club.”
Mourinho, who has previously coached Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan, Real Madrid and Manchester United, was sacked by Spurs last month after 17 months in charge of the north London club.
They had slipped from top of the table to outside the European places while Mourinho suffered 10 league defeats in a single campaign for the first time in his managerial career.
“After meetings with the ownership and Tiago Pinto, I immediately understood the full extent of their ambitions for Roma,” Mourinho said of his new club.
“It is the same ambition and drive that has always motivated me and together we want to build a winning project over the upcoming years.
“The incredible passion of the Roma fans convinced me to accept the job and I cannot wait to start next season.”
Mourinho completed a treble with Inter in 2009-10, but in a recent interview with The Times said he would not hesitate to join any one of their rivals in the future.
“There is a special affection. But if one day I have to go to Italy and coach a rival club, I don’t think twice,” he said. “I have this professional way of look at things.”
Roma looked to be on course for a top-four finish that would secure Champions League football for next season at the turn of the year, but one win in the past eight matches has left them seventh in the standings.