SPECIAL REPORT
The early José Mourinho years were something. A domestic double and Big Vase in his first full season as Porto head coach, he led them to a shock Big Cup the following season. At Chelsea, the “Special One” did what Claudio Ranieri couldn’t, moulding a disjointed team into a winning machine; in the age of Alex Ferguson, Arsène Wenger and a Europe-toppling Liverpool side, no less. Two Premier League titles, three Fizzy Cups and one FA Cup in three years at Stamford Bridge. Ridiculous. His Inter spell was another triumph, culminating in a famous treble; in which he sunk that Barcelona side en route to another Big Cup. Things didn’t get much better for Barça when he then arrived at the Bernabéu, as Real Madrid won La Liga and Pep Guardiola was run out of town.
Had Mourinho hung up his whiteboard after those Madrid days, he would have a serious shout as possibly the best manager that ever took to a dugout. Perhaps not in terms of total silverware, or being a club legend, but from 2002 to 2012, arguably no football manager has ever had a better decade. Winning Big Cups with Porto and even an ageing Inter side was scandalous behaviour. Ferguson, Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Rio Ferdinand, Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs could only watch as Chelsea romped to back-to-back Premier League titles. And beating the greatest Barcelona side ever assembled – possibly the greatest club side ever assembled – to the Spanish title with a record 100 points and 121 goals is absolutely wild.
However, José kept the good ship sailing in the intervening 12 years, and things have dropped off a little. Another Premier League title on his return to Chelsea followed but then threads started to pull in his luxury wool coat. Further European trophies followed at Manchester United, Tottenham (just joking) and Roma, but these soon became flaws, and the flaws became holes. By the end of Mourinho’s stint at Roma, José was effectively a professional vibesman, a tragic thespian, pulling faces for the cameras, inventing new ways to become the centre of attention on the sidelines and blaming members of the audience for his mistakes. On Tuesday, with Roma in ninth and another domestic season spiralling into mediocrity, Mourinho was quietly ushered out of a back door marked Do One, and a new era was born.
Only Maximus Decimus Meridius, the Pope and Francesco Totti have more clout in Rome than Daniele De Rossi, and despite an underwhelming managerial stint with Spal, the former gladiatorial midfielder was ushered into the hot seat with the enthusiasm of Dion Dublin in a semi-detached three-bed. “I know no other way but dedication, daily sacrifices, and giving everything I have in order to face the challenges that await us,” De Rossi roared. “The excitement of being able to sit on our bench is indescribable. Everyone knows what Roma means to me. However, the work that awaits us all has already taken precedence.” What next, though, for José Mário dos Santos Mourinho Félix? The show must go on. Newcastle, Saudi Arabia and even Porto have all been cited as possible landing pads. Mourinho has been a pain in people’s backsides and eyes for a while now, but surely he will give us one more wink. One more knee slide. One more cup of the ear to the heavens. Never before has there been a manager more determined to end things on his terms. This won’t be the end.
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Join Daniel Gallan from 5pm GMT for hot minute-by-minute Afcon coverage of Tunisia 2-1 Namibia, while Scott Murray will then be on deck for all of the evening’s FA Cup third-round replay action.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“I would accept of course, that’s been my dream. There would be a lot of good football players” – after revealing that he would have loved to manage Liverpool in his lifetime, Sven-Göran Eriksson says he would jump at the chance to lead a legends team at Anfield after Reds fans put plans in motion to make it happen. The Swedish former England manager revealed last week that he has terminal cancer and “at best” a year to live.
FOOTBALL DAILY LETTERS
It makes a nice narrative to blame the Football League for what is going on at Reading (yesterday’s Football Daily), but it’s not correct. So long as a potential owner passes the owners and directors test (no relevant convictions, loads of cash) the EFL can’t stop the purchase of a club. As a membership organisation it only has the rules the members have agreed. That is the club owners. The EFL is reasonably well run under Trevor Birch. I’m not sure that was so true under Shaun Harvey, but I doubt any rules will stop someone who just runs a club terribly. Unless you have an NFL-style system where every owner has to be approved and there’s no relegation some bad owners will slip through. Good luck with getting the 72 current CEOs to vote for a system that allows the EFL to seize a club from its owners and sell it. Blaming the EFL for enforcing its rules and not enforcing rules it doesn’t have just seems perverse. I’m not saying the rules are great, but they are what they are. It’s also worth pointing out the EFL tried to get Dai Yongge banned from football for 12 months which might not have forced a sale, but would help, but were turned down by an independent disciplinary commission. It’s difficult to see what else it can do” – Matt Robb.
Reading about Reading and the name of their ‘owner’ reminded me of the time when I was a youngster and one year received a bike for Christmas. The bike itself was very nice, but I must say that ‘Dai Yung’ being the brand of tyre on it did not fill me with confidence when I headed out for a ride” – Greg Wynn.
Regarding Troy Deeney’s travails at Forest Green (yesterday’s Football Daily, full email edition). I’ve found it odd that the genteel Nailsworth commune, having built a club on wood, Tofu and soluble socks in the Cotswolds (I may not have been keeping up exactly), have recently sought managers solely of the ‘handful in the air, puts himself about, doesn’t mind it up him’ centre forward variety. First Duncan Ferguson; now everyone enjoying a nice sherry better hope it works out well for Troy, or it might be Billy Whitehurst next” – Jon Millard.
Did you know that Manchester City have been proper gits to Crystal Palace? In the 2022-23 season, when Palace had the ball, they fouled them every 1.7 minutes home and away. And yet, in the same season, they played the derby against United at home and fouled them when they had the ball only once every 13.8 minutes. Fair play times (FPTs) like these need to be reported more often” – David Rose.
Send your letters to the.boss@theguardian.com. Today’s letter o’ the day winner is … Jon Millard, who lands a copy of The Africa Cup of Nations: The History of an Underappreciated Tournament, published by Pitch Publishing. Visit their football book store here.
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