Jose Mourinho sacked by Roma after poor run of results – next stop Saudi Arabia?
Jose Mourinho is set to be on the market for Premier League clubs looking to change managers following his dismissal at Roma after three-and-a-half years with the Italian team.
Mourinho, 60, was sacked with immediate effect following a run of one win in six Serie A games and Roma dropping to ninth place in the table. During his time at Stadio Olimpico he won the Europa Conference and reached the final of the Europa League last season.
“We would like to thank José on behalf of all of us at AS Roma for his passion and efforts since his arrival at the club,” confirmed Roma owners Dan and Ryan Friedkin. “We will always have great memories of his tenure at Roma, but we believe that an immediate change is in the best interests of the club.”
Premier League clubs have kept faith in their managers this season compared to previous campaigns, with only Sheffield United and Nottingham Forest making changes, but Mourinho’s name will inevitably be linked to clubs who look to make changes in the future.
Mourinho has also insisted he will eventually work in Saudi Arabia, where his Portuguese compatriot Cristiano Ronaldo is playing for Al Nassr. “I am convinced that I will work there. I don’t know when, but I am pretty sure of it,” he said last October.
He was appointed by the Friedkins in 2021, succeeding Paulo Fonseca, and his time at Roma was not without incident. His first season at the club saw the Europa Conference triumph, which he tearfully hailed as “historical” as he became the second manager to win five major European titles.
After last season’s defeat to Sevilla in the Europa League final, Mourinho was banned for four matches for verbally abusing referee Anthony Taylor in the car park. He was filmed calling Taylor a “f------ disgrace”, with the Premier League official and his family harassed by angry fans at Budapest Airport as they travelled back from the match.
This season they have reached the Europa League play-off stage for the knockouts, facing Dutch club Feyenoord next month, but have struggled for consistency this season. He reaffirmed his commitment to the club recently, although his contract was expiring at the end of the season and there was no agreement over an extension.
The ‘Special One’ compared himself to Harry Potter after the Coppa Italia defeat to Lazio last week, which turned out to be his penultimate game in charge. “The Roma fans are the most incredible I have seen. Their coach is Jose ‘Harry Potter’ Mourinho and he raises expectations,” he said.
