5 Clubs Jose Mourinho Can Join And Lead To Glory

Jose Mourinho has undoubtedly been one of the most successful managers since the turn of the century. Having led the likes of FC Porto and Inter Milan to Champions League glory, he made a name for himself as a shrewd tactician who could make the most of the limited resources at his disposal. His two tenures at Chelsea saw him winning three Premier League titles, and he also won the La Liga with Real Madrid in the 2011/12 season.

However, there is a growing consensus amongst the masses that Mourinho has lost his characteristic demeanor and charm that propelled him to the top despite having an unorthodox, pragmatic footballing philosophy. Ever since leaving Inter, he has failed to taste Champions League success and has won only two league titles too.

Moreover, he has now thrice consecutively lost the support of his dressing rooms. His recent stint at Manchester United came to a disgruntling end after a shambolic 3-1 defeat at Anfield. Here too, it was widely believed that Mourinho lost the support of Paul Pogba, who has undergone a radical change in form ever since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer took over the reins.

So, what lies next for Mourinho?

He has been partially working as a pundit on some football channels but it is well known that the Portuguese ace would be eager to get back to management again. After all, he has a legacy to fight for and also has to overturn his recent failure at United. Here, we look at five clubs which Mourinho could join and lead them to glory.

5: AS Roma

AS Roma were eliminated by FC Porto yesterday

AS Roma’s run to the semifinals of the UEFA Champions League was one of the most enthralling tales of football last season.

Under the guidance of former player Eusebio de Fransesco, Roma completed a historic second leg comeback against Barcelona before bowing out against Liverpool in another closely contested match in the semi-finals.

Accordingly, there were high hopes surrounding the club this season too. However, the Italian side has been undergoing a disappointing season on both domestic and continental front so far. They were knocked out of the Champions League by FC Porto in the round of 16, which was followed by the sacking of de Fransesco as the head coach.

Though, the name of Cluadio Raneiri is doing the rounds to take over the interim manager’s slot, Jose could be another good option for the Serie A team. Mourinho has tasted incredible success at Italy with Inter Milan and Roma could provide him a good opportunity to strike his way back into limelight.

Historically, Mourinho has had better success whilst managing clubs with lower expectations and the mood at the Giallorossi isn’t the best currently.

The former United manager could join them with relatively lesser expectations and limelight, and thus work his way towards building a strong, tactically adept side, which he was initially known for.

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4: FC Porto

This might be unlikely, but let us see how crucial it could be from a personal perspective for Jose. Porto just managed to notch an incredible victory against AS Roma through a thrilling injury time spot kick from Alex Telles.

They are in the second spot in the Primiera Liga and have done reasonably well on the European front too. Their manager, Sergio Conciecao’s job seems to be safe as of now. But, if they look to shake up things in the summer, Mourinho could be an ideal candidate.

Sometimes, when things don’t work according to your way, it is best to go back to your roots and start afresh. Mourinho announced himself on the big stage with his success at FC Porto and going back there to revive his career could be a smart move by him.

Even after staying abroad for so many years, the 56-year-old is still adept with the Portuguese league. He personally scouted Diogo Dalot for United, who has continued his development with the Red Devils in a remarkable way.

Similarly, working in familiar, homely surroundings could help him reconstruct his ideas, tactics and even propel Porto to European success if possible. It could also help the Primiera Liga gain a better status on the continental front. However, whether this happens to not, remains to be seen.

3: Chelsea

Chelsea have had a mediocre season after a flying start

Mourinho shares a bitter-sweet relationship with the London-based club. He was the one who made Chelsea relevant in the Premier League, by winning two titles consecutively and ending the United-Arsenal duopoly.

He also brought a tactical revolution in the Premiership, introduced the art of pragmatism and employed it to excellent effect too. On his return after nearly seven years, Mourinho won another league title and did decently in the Champions League too.

However, the manner of his exit from Chelsea was such that it scarred his relationship with certain players and the board members too. Now, Chelsea find themselves in a tricky situation yet again. Maurizio Sarri has seen some thumping defeats in his short time there so far, but with an arguably average squad at his disposal, it isn’t easy for him to implement his ideas properly too.

Chelsea, by their nature, might look for better options in the summer if things don’t improve in the next few months. Though it would be unfair on Sarri, that’s just how Chelsea has functioned as a football club over the years.

Their revolving door policy for managers isn’t quite popular amongst the masses, but would they tweak their pattern to give Sarri another chance? If they don’t, then would they look at Mourinho as a possible candidate?

Another worrying factor for them is that they have been hit with a transfer ban for two windows and hence any manager coming in would find it difficult to completely transform the fortunes of the club.

Mourinho could be a possible replacement, considering he is one of the few elite managers available in Europe. Also, despite his differences with the club, he is one of the few gaffers who is well adept with the club’s philosophy and has struck a winning formula with them more than once.

2: Inter Milan

Inter Milan are in a very peculiar situation currently. Luciano Spalletti’s job might be under a scanner for another below-par season where they got knocked out of the Champions League in the group stage itself.

Last time around too, their form collapsed midway through the season and hence barely managed to qualify for the European competition. Moreover, the rift with Mauro Icardi means that the Argentine finds himself out of the team.

Despite the issues with the player, Icardi is still probably the best striker in European football. His ousting from the team would hurt their form and there is a genuine possibility that he would seek a move away from the club in the coming summer.

Hence, would it be wise from Inter’s perspective to stick with Spalletti even then? If they look for better options in the coming few months, Jose could rightly slot into that role quite well. Firstly, Inter is one of the few clubs from which he parted ways on good terms.

The board members might trust him more given his incredible success over there. He might not have the luxury of having a complete say over the transfers but Inter have a good structure working for that, unlike United who still don’t have a DOF in place so far.

Moreover, Mourinho’s pragmatism has fared well with the Serie A in the past and hence he would not face many problems from a tactical perspective as well. Mourinho surely has good memories of working in Italy, and a reunion might just help both him and the club to turnaround their form and legacy.

1: Real Madrid:

The defeat to Ajax might have been the final nail in the coffin for Solari

Lastly, probably the club that Mourinho is most likely to join, given the conditions and indications. Santiago Solari’s future as the manager of Real Madrid has come under intense scanner after enduring a terrible week where they probably lost all their chances of winning silverware this season.

Repeated El Classico defeats and probably a skewed tactical approach has arguably left the fans and the board frustrated with their manager. Florentino Perez shares a good relationship with Mourinho and would be keen to have him onboard to rescue Madrid’s situation.

However, with an ageing squad at their disposal, the club requires an incredible overhaul that could include a massive spending spree in the upcoming summer. Appointing Mourinho would help them with that, as the Portuguese gaffer hardly gets his transfers wrong.

Even at United, his acquisitions like Victor Lindelof and Diogo Dalot have proven their worth, along with the likes of Romelu Lukaku and Nemanja Matic. Mourinho is someone who likes to have complete control over the transfer proceedings and given the financial stature of Real Madrid, he might not face many problems in this aspect.

Furthermore, Los Blancos haven’t spent much in recent transfer windows and hence they would be eager to acquire some remarkable players in a few months’ time.

Even after having lost the vote of the dressing room during his time at Madrid, Mourinho managed to maintain good relations with Perez, and eventually that is what will matter the most.

With some good transfers and a clear strategy in front, Mourinho might be able to reinvent himself with Madrid. This could certainly be an interesting combination to watch out for.

Edited by Emeka Monyei