José Mourinho was marked. Drawn from an almost 25-minute conversation with Dan and Ryan Friedkin, the two owners of AS Roma.
Father and son Friedkin, it later became clear, had relieved Mourinho of his duties as coach. Out of the blue. No wonder fans at the Fulvio Bernardini training center in Trigoria were completely stunned as Mourinho rolled out of the car park for the final time.
Tears flowed and they thanked Mourinho for everything in broken voices. “Grazie, Jose!” was heard. Mourinho rolled down his window and said a final “Ciao,” his eyes red. The otherwise tough coach was visibly depressed.
“On behalf of everyone at AS Roma, we thank José for his passion and commitment since his arrival at the Giallorossi,” the Friedkins were quoted as saying in a press release. But bosses are of the opinion that “an immediate change” in the coaching bench is necessary and in the best interests of the club.
From a sporting point of view, it’s actually not that far-fetched. The most recent 1:3 at AC Milan was the seventh defeat of the current season; after 20 match days, Roma are only in ninth place. Not enough for the demands of the proud capital city residents, who will now be trained on an interim basis by club legend Daniele De Rossi after Mourinho’s departure.
Mourinho popular with Roma fans
Mourinho, who signed with Roma in 2021, had once again failed in the “darn third year”. As with Manchester United (2018) and his second engagement with Chelsea FC (2015).
In addition, there was no sign of any mildness in his age. In Mourinho style, he had repeatedly counted players publicly, sometimes humiliated them (Renato Sanches) and insulted referees.
So why this sadness among supporters after Mourinho left? Because Mourinho was loved. “The Special One” was basically “The Loved One” in Rome. In 2022, Roma won the Conference League under Mourinho’s aegis in Tirana (1-0 against Feyenoord) and thus their first title in 14 years. He then had the trophy tattooed on his shoulder.
José Mourinho kisses the Conference League trophy
Fotocredit: Getty Images
For this reason alone, the now 60-year-old was revered in the yellow and red part of the Eternal City. “We will have Tirana for eternity,” one fan shouted to him as Mourinho sadly rolled away.
Mou leads Rome to the EL final
A year after the triumph, Mourinho led his team to the Europa League final, which was narrowly lost to record winners FC Sevilla (1:2). In other words: from a sporting perspective alone, the two-time Champions League winner had breathed new life into Roma and helped the sometimes dusty club shine again.
But at Roma it’s not just about trophies, it’s also about identification. In addition to the silverware that Mourinho brought, it was mainly because of his behavior that he was so valued.
Not long ago there were many signs that Mourinho would extend his contract. He himself announced time and time again that Roma would be the club he would work for the longest.
Jose Mourinho
Fotocredit: Getty Images
Although shortly before the end of his term in office everything was no longer in order, especially the fourth defeat in the sixth derby against hated rivals Lazio caused displeasure – Mourinho and Roma are overall a success story. In a sense, the coach and the club have revived each other.
Roma and Mou revive
Because: After his expulsion from Tottenham Hotspur in April 2021, many experts declared Mourinho’s career to be over. It seemed almost impossible that the eccentric trainer would coach a European heavyweight again. Mourinho used his time in Italy as an application letter for himself.
Teams that are at risk of being gray can particularly benefit from the experience. That’s why Mourinho’s path isn’t over yet, “The Special One” is not yet “The Finished One”. Quite the opposite. Just a few hours after his release, the first rumors began to swirl about his future.
Is Mourinho joining Newcastle?
Before joining Roma, Mourinho was reportedly discussed at Newcastle. He explained at the time that he could say s.
He added: “The only thing I can say is that I have worked for many, many years with one of the most important figures in Newcastle’s history, Sir Bobby Robson, and so have always had a certain emotional connection to this city and this had a following. But it’s nothing more than that.”
Not the worst conditions for possible collaboration. In any case, such statements are likely to be well received in Newcastle. How quickly Mourinho’s tears actually dry remains to be seen.
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