Head Coach

Jose Mourinho surprised everyone and already has a new club

By Fredi Roman

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After the breakdown of the hegemony of Juventus in Serie A after obtaining the Scudetto by Inter, the next Italian championship promises to be exciting and to have plenty of seasonings, since Roma, another of the main animators, made a strong bet. The club from the Italian capital fired technical director Paulo Fonseca to take an important swerve and bet on José Mourinho, who until a few weeks ago was the strategist of Tottenham in England.

“On behalf of everyone at AS Roma, we would like to thank Paulo Fonseca for the hard work and leadership shown during these two years. Paulo led the team through various challenges, including the Covid pandemic and a change in ownership, and he did so with generosity, fairness and great character. We wish him all the best in his future endeavors and we are confident that he will represent fantastic added value wherever he goes”, explained Dan Friedkin, president of the club, in an official statement on the departure of the coach.

Fonseca's departure comes in the midst of an irregular season for Roma. Although he is in the semifinals of the Europa League (he lost the first leg 6 to 2 against Manchester United and only a miracle will put him in the continental final), in Serie A he has fallen against Sampdoria and appears in seventh place, 9 of Lazio, last to be awarded an international ticket.

Sports director Tiago Pinto, who also had Maurizio Sarri as an option, opted for his countryman José Mourinho, someone who knows the Italian tournament very well after his successful stint at Inter. Between 2008 and 2010 he won two Scudettos, an Italian Cup, an Italian Super Cup and a Champions League (in the final they defeated Bayern Munich).

“After meeting with the owners and with Tiago Pinto, I immediately understood how high the ambition of this club is. It is the same ambition and drive that has always motivated me and together we want to build a winning project in the years to come. The incredible passion of the Roma fans convinced me to take the job and I can't wait to start next season. In the meantime, I wish Paulo Fonseca all the best”, the Portuguese commented on the official channels of La Loba.

Roma welcomed José Mourinho

Mourinho agreed with the Giallorossi a relationship for three seasons (until June 30, 2024), which will begin in the 2021/22 campaign. “We are excited and delighted to welcome José Mourinho to the AS Roma family. A great champion who has won trophies at all levels, José will bring tremendous leadership and experience to our ambitious project. José's appointment is a great step in building a long-term and consistent winning culture across the club”, said President Dan Friedkin.

Former Porto, Chelsea, Real Madrid, Manchester United and Tottenham will find themselves in Roma with a rebuilding squad, with some veterans and promising youngsters. Among the brightest names are the English Chris Smalling, the Bosnian Edin Dzeko and the Italians Leonardo Spinazzola, Lorenzo Pellegrini, Stephan El Shaarawy and Nicolò Zaniolo.

“We were surprised by José's desire to win and his passion for the game: no matter how many trophies he has won, his main focus is always on the next one. He possesses the knowledge, experience, and leadership to compete at all levels. We know that building a successful sports project takes time, patience, and the right people in the right positions. We are extremely confident that José will be the perfect coach for our project, both for our immediate and long-term future. Together with the vision and ambition of Dan and Ryan Friedkin, we will build the foundations of a new AS Roma”, concluded sporting director Tiago Pinto.

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