There’s been plenty of speculation going on about Jose Mourinho’s next move if he leaves Chelsea at the end of this season.
With that in mind, let’s look at the list of teams Mourinho could potentially manage next season.
To be fair there are plenty of clubs Mourinho has been linked with – AC, Inter and Barca have been mentioned in passing, while the strongest rumours are those towards Real Madrid (a team Mourinho has recently criticised, in case anyone’s keeping track).
I’m working here with two assumptions:
One, that if Mourinho goes outside England, he’ll want Champions League football.
Two, if Mourinho stays in England, he might go with a team in Europe and build it into a CL team.
I realise that it is pure speculation, but let’s stick to something that at least sounds plausible, shall we?
AC Milan
Depends strongly on whether Milan qualify for Champions League football next year or not. Chelsea and Milan are not on the best of terms after Sheva’s move to London but with Ancelotti under pressure, the availability of Jose Mourinho could change things.
Arsenal
Difficult to see Mourinho moving to Arsenal, but a takeover could change things. If this was 2008, when Wenger’s contract ends, this might be more plausible. Right now, it looks bloody unlikely.
Barcelona
The Barca-Chelsea feud over the last three seasons will make it difficult, but if Rijkaard was to leave Mourinho is the perfect man for the job. Mourinho is good enough to adapt to the conditions AND he is smart enough to win over the dressing room quickly.
Bayern Munich
A very long-shot, but possible. The biggest drawback here would be the lack of limelight – the Bundesliga gets no where near the sort of coverage that the Premiership or La Liga (or even Serie A) does. Plus they have Hitzfeld tied up till 2008. Another one to bring out next year?
Chelsea
My gut feeling is that Mourinho will stay at Chelsea. I don’t think that the ‘rift’ is as big as it was initially made out to be but that the media coverage has put a lot of pressure on both parties and has made things worse. Mourinho is a tough act to follow, his replacement will have to win the Premiership in his first year to be even considered as acceptable.
Inter Milan
Top of the Serie A but the league title will be hollow – no Juve and a weakened Milan do not make for good competition. This would be a perfect time to change managers and bring in someone who is capable of helping Inter crack Europe and dominate the Serie A as well.
Juventus
No Champions League football so that’s a big issue, plus if Buffon leaves in the summer Mourinho will have little to play with.
Liverpool
Rafa’s there at Liverpool for another season, so this one is essentially a no-go.
Manchester United
Ditto for Alex Ferguson at Manchester United.
Newcastle United
Despite the lack of Champions League football Newcastle would represent an interesting challenge for Mourinho – take a club with lots of potential and take them into the Champions League.
I don’t think Newcastle are going anywhere near the Champions League under Roeder.
Real Madrid
This is the most popular option, but if you remember Mourinho recently described the situation at Chelsea to Real Madrid, saying that the main reason for success at the top clubs across Europe was stability. He’s right, and that’s why Real Madrid would be a dangerous move for him right now – even if he thinks that it’s an honor to manage Real Madrid.
Even if Schuster tells Marca that Mourinho is coming to Real, I’d ask you to think twice – it’s not a good move for Mourinho and the media will hound him just as much (if not more) at Madrid.
Considering that Roma should qualify automatically for the Champions League, they are a good (but unfashionable) option. Mourinho’s presence will at least guarantee Champions League football and put Roma in serious contention for the Serie A title. Roma wouldn’t mind that, would they?
Tottenham
After the backlash Hugo received for his post on Tottenham, I’m not sure it’s wise to mention Mourinho and Tottenham. However, with Tottenham’s potential and Mourinho’s managerial talents, there is little doubt that Tottenham will become a top force if he were to take over.
Plus they’re in London, where Mourinho is already settled.
What do you think?
It is possible that Mourinho may stay in England – although a move to rivals such as Arsenal, Liverpool or Manchester United is out of the question because the managers for those teams aren’t going anywhere.
With that in mind, there are only a handful of options open for Mourinho – Newcastle and Tottenham in the Premiership and Milan, Roma and Inter in Serie A.
And if you asked me to pick, I’d say Tottenham, Real Madrid and Roma.
What’s your pick?
I think he will opt for the England National Team job…
Morinhio should stay at Chelsea to make A. Wenger earn his money. He has been found out since the Special one joined the Premiership.
I think Spurs sounds like a good bet. No matter what some opposition “supporters” think, Spurs could be going places and to have an experienced manager rather than a coach could start the ball rolling faster. Having the continental system with a coach and director of football could be an obstacle though.
If the England job becomes available in the summer – and I hope it does because not sure McClaren has what it takes – I wouldn’t be surpised if Jose took it – if offered – although the FA would find him difficult to handle.
But it would be great for England and talk of winning the world cup would start immediately – simply because England have so many great players and a motivating coach like Jose would get the most out of them – (not to mention Lampard would play great for England) – plus he would be really entertaining for England fans with his comments and interviews.
It would be such an exciting appointment for the England team.
The England thing is looking more likely now – but it would be a leap of faith to think that the FA would have the balls to dump McClaren and go for Mourinho.
As a Spurs fan, I don’t want him, Martin Jol is the right man for Tottenham, there are no point to sack manager who aheived 5th and quarter final of UEFA Cup.
If something going wrong with him at the end of the season and Spurs board decided to sack him, I would like to see Klinsmann or Glenn Hoddle. Not Mourinho and his defensive tactics.
If he gonna quit from chelsea, i think he should manage Porto or Sporting because he knows everythin about porteguese soccer and remember before he came to Chelsea, he made Porto the champion of the champions leuge but know he fcked up i think and he spent lots of money for shevchenko obi mikel and ballack that is all what i wanted to say bye ahmed
It’s pretty clear that there’s really only one fair way to decide where Mourihno goes: A Reality Television Series.
I want Mourinho to go to Madrid. I think he sould tie Madrid to a massive “Get out clause” to force the stability that the team needs. Look at Capello, they cannot sack him save risking $120M USD payout. The special one should tie Madrid to this sort of fee for 3 years to force stability and then get into fixing the problems. There are not many, just required attitude shifts Hala Madrid.
The england national team thing seems really interesting, i think he can create the right dynamic within the team, he can make tactics n strategies where Gerrard and Lampard are not stepping on each other toes all game long… Ahmed could you elaborate more on what you meant regarding the FA not having the balls for such a thing (why, how come, possible solution etc..)?
Let me tell you jose wont be going nowhere who in there right mind would sack him after what he has achieved
BUT if he does go he would go to MADRID i hope not the premier league would be worse of without him we need more managers like him instead of the Robots we have in charge at the moment(ie yes men)OH BY THE WAY I SUPPORT LIVERPOOL
IM STARTING A CAMPAIGN TO GET RID OF MCLAREN WHAT A JOKE
WE HAVE SOME OF THE BEST PLAYERS IN THE WORLD YET WE STRUGGLE TO COMPETE AGAINST LITTLE FOOTBALL COUNTRIES
THE PLAYERS DONT WANT TO PLAY FOR HIM TELL YOU WHAT I THINK HE (MACLAREN) THINKS HE IS TONY BLAIR HE ACTS LIKE HIM TALS LIKE HIM MAYBE HE IS HIM THE HAVE BOTH fxxxxxxxxD
THE COUNTRY UP.
im sure he will stay with chelsea
Specially after winning the carling the FA the champions and the premier this year!!!!!
Never really though of the England prospect. It siunds good. Maybe he should do that till after Euro2008 and then join ManU. However, I don’t hink he will. I’m sure he will want a national team ‘later’ in his career.
Pretty sure he will go for an Italian or Spanish team that is currently NOT the most popular and see if his ego can make them the best and popular. Just speculation though.
@ Karl: OMG!!! Jose at ManU?? as a longtime Man Utd fan i can say: Please Kill Me Now!!!
Jade – Which better successor is there to SAF? Who can guarentee success? Who better to create new stars? Before you answer any of these questions, who do you propose?
Mourinho:ONE WAY TO BAYERN
Mourinho to one of his big rivals; that would be cool LOL
for those who knows José Mourinho’s history, in the year 2000 José had the chance to manage one of the best Portuguese teams (Benfica), I love Benfica but this “stupid team” had the nerves to fire José, after what he gave to the Benfica fans; and then he switched club to the F.C. Porto, our biggest rival (aw I hate F.C. Porto), and he won coups, the championship … Now imagine that in England. IT’S GOING TO HAPPEN
PS: I think it’s very funny the way you spell MOURINHO
For me Chelsea is the only English club i could picture Jose at. Inter are already walking over the Serie A they dont need him. But Madrid and Jose wouldnt that be some combo. Madrid could recapture the european golden days of old.
Henry, Messi, Ronaldiho, Messi, Eto, Deco & now Jose!!! Now wouldnt that be a bit unfair
S.I.R
I wish you were right about Inter, but I’m not so sure.
We’re second in Serie A, and that excuse for a performance against Fenerbahce has killed a lot of my confidence.
Mancini is good domestically, but in Europe, he has failed to prove himself…so far.