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WHERE TO JOSE?

By Joshua George

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As the dust settles on this exhausting football frenzy day, governed by the news that the football elite have planned the breakaway European Super League, Jose Mourinho has grabbed prime time news after being sacked by Tottenham Hotspur. 

 

With the emergence of summer signings like Gareth Bale, fans were excited with the pieces of the Jigsaw finally falling in place. Top of the table in December Jose referred to his side as a little pony in the race for the title. However a string of poor results and having being knocked out of the Europa League by Dinamo Zagreb, Spurs sit seventh in the league and are on course to miss out on Champions League football next season.

The bombshell to let go of the Portuguese man and his staff comes just a week before the League Cup final against Manchester City. This is the fifth time Mourinho has been prematurely let go having faced the axe at Chelsea twice during his two terms, Real Madrid, Manchester United and now Tottenham.

This is the first time Mourinho has departed a club trophy-less since leaving his native club FC Porto in 2004 after winning the treble. Jose Mourinho has always been the man of the moment. Carrying a swagger and demeanor that wowed the footballing world, The Special One, as he is referred to has looked a shadow of his vintage self. Having not been able to win the league at Manchester United and now at Tottenham, Jose looks subdued and beaten.

Exhausting his options among the Premier League elite where does Jose Mourinho go from here? Portugal, Italy MLS or China could be the frontrunner destinations for Mourinho’s next job in management.

Portugal

Despite claiming in the past that he is too young for International management, Jose could be tempted with the opportunity to coach the national team. With the Euros this summer, much will depend on the performance of Head Coach Fernando Santos.

Having a pool of talent with the likes Cristiano Ronaldo, Bruno Fernandes, Bernado Silva, Diogo Jota, Reuben Neves, Reuben Diaz, Jao Cancelo etc Mourinho would fancy his chances at winning a trophy at the International level.

Juventus

Mourinho was at the peak of his prowess when he won the treble with Inter Milan in 2009. It looks highly unlikely Jose would return to his former club with current manager Antonio Conte on course to win the title this season however, with Juventus struggling and Pirlo looking to face the axe, the Old Lady will be tempted to pursue the Portuguese tactician.

MLS or China

The only reason I would see Mourinho pursue an opportunity in the MLS or the Chinese Super League is for a financially lucrative offer. However, having made close to $100m in compensation itself over the years of him being sacked at his previous clubs, it’s difficult to envisage Mourinho competing in the lesser leagues of world football.

Conclusion

Once heralded as the worlds best manager, can Jose Mourinho forego his ego and be willing to take over a tier 2 club? We’ve seen the likes of Carlos Ancelotti manage Everton this season, after having coached the most elite European clubs. Over the recent years, a lot has been made of Mourinho’s man-management.

Wayne Rooney, Luke Shaw and most recently Paul Pogba have all highlighted a weakness in his arsenal and that’s his ability to communicate and bring out the best in the modern player. Is retirement on the cards? As a believer and supporter of the man I certainly hope not. But it remains certain that with time comes adaptation. It isn’t in my preview to say that Jose’s coaching methods have turned primitive but it remains to be answered if he can transform himself to succeed in the modern game.

Joshua George

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