The Mourinho Paradox: Loved By Fans, Let Go By Roma | OneFootball

When José Mourinho joined Roma in 2021, the global football community was really excited. The “Special One” had arrived in Italy’s capital as a serial winner. Roma fans, desperate for success, greeted him very warmly. Actually, they waited for him to start a new golden era.

Nevertheless, despite his enduring popularity among supporters, Mourinho’s tenure came to a sudden and disappointing conclusion. Below, we’re going to explore the paradox of Mourinho’s departure, financial challenges, performance struggles, and emotional ties that defined his time in Rome.

Mourinho’s Achievements & Popularity At Roma

Mourinho’s appointment was seen as a coup for Roma. His list of achievements contained Champions League triumphs with Porto and Inter. Naturally, this provoked great fans’ expectations. During his early months, Roma improved their defensive organization and reached notable victories. First, it’s about the UEFA Europa Conference League final in 2022 – Roma got their 1st European trophy in over 6 decades.

Fans were inspired by results, Mourinho’s passion, and his club commitment. He kissed the club badge and charged touchline celebrations! So, he won over the Roma faithful. Money has long ceased to motivate the Special One. More than anything else, he values ​​loyalty. For local fans, loyalty comes first. We all remember Francesco Totti became a legend, as he refused to move to Real Madrid (in his prime). Jose hoped that after Totti, he would be the one to replace him. The dream could well come true, but unfortunately, Jose lost the most important match at the helm of Roma. While the team had moments of success, their performances in Serie A football matches today still lacked consistency, often struggling against top-tier competition. By the end of the second season, Roma had failed to break into the top four.

Loyalty & Commitment

During his Roma time (May 2021 – January 2024), Mourinho reaffirmed his commitment to the club. Meanwhile, some experts talked about high-profile management roles at Paris Saint-Germain and even a potential return to the Premier League. “I’m happy in Rome. This is my project,” he said at a 2023 press conference. These words resonated deeply with the fans.

Jose has built a strong and very trusting relationship with the Roma players. So, Gianluca Mancini has named Mourinho as the coach who has influenced him greatly. “Jose Mourinho is a football icon, that’s another reason to give more in training and in matches,” Mancini said. Dan and Ryan Friedkin had high hopes and respected Jose. They were going to support his project for the long term. However, financial realities began to strain their interaction. Then, in January 2024, there occurred an unexpected dismissal that shocked fans, pundits, and players.

Financial & Managerial Challenges

Firstly, Mourinho’s dismissal resulted from financial difficulties and unjustified expectations of the owners! Besides, the club has long struggled to comply with UEFA’s Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations. However, Italy’s evolving tax laws worsened the situation greatly. Thus, Roma couldn’t offer Mourinho the contract extension he was waiting for. Or, even didn’t want to continue cooperation with him. Jose Mourinho earned €7,500,000 yearly after taxes with Roma (according to Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio).

It was not a secret that Roma’s transfer budget was limited, and they simply failed to bolster key squad areas. They spent a lot of money to engage Tammy Abraham (top attacker) but ignored other essential squad positions. La Gazzetta dello Sport once mentioned that Mourinho had requested midfield and defense reinforcements. However, due to financial difficulties, they could afford cheap and effectless alternatives. Moreover, missing out on Champions League qualification (a key revenue stream) meant Roma could not afford to splurge. Balancing Mourinho’s ambitions with the club’s financial limitations was impossible. This eventually created friction between the coach and ownership.

Performance & Discipline Issues

Roma’s struggles in Serie A also contributed to Mourinho’s departure. Despite the team’s strong start under his guidance, their league performances were somewhat erratic. They dropped points against lower-division teams and failed to score goals consistently (again due to their weak positions). As a result, fans saw a lack of coherence on the pitch and tactical rigidity. Even Mourinho supporters were unpleasantly surprised and did not hesitate to criticize.

Most likely, the failure to qualify for the Champions League was the final straw for The Friedkin Group to make their decision against Mourinho. Of course, this caused a lot of financial damage. However, it also became clear that Roma was still not up to the level of Serie A elite clubs – Napoli, Inter, and Juventus. Now, we finally get to the most interesting aspect.

This is, of course, the infamous disciplinary story. Mourinho argued with referees and was emotional during press conferences. Besides, touchline bans also added great tension. Ultimately, it all influenced the team’s performance negatively. It’s worth mentioning that Jose’s confrontational style still endeared him to some fans! However, it alienated others and strained relationships with the club’s owners.

GENOA, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 28: Jose Mourinho, head coach of Roma, looks on prior to kick-off in the Serie A TIM match between Genoa CFC and AS Roma at Stadio Luigi Ferraris on September 28, 2023 in Genoa, Italy. (Photo by Simone Arveda/Getty Images)

Fan Discontent & Final Days

Surprisingly, despite all the team’s difficulties, which were often the result of Mourinho’s intemperance, Roma fans praised him until the very end and expert predictions were encouraging. Some, of course, were really disappointed by the lack of progress. However, most continued to honor him at the Stadio Olimpico. They saw him as a victim of systemic issues rather than the root cause. However, with the worsened results and internal conflicts, the Friedkin family faced increasing pressure. This forced them to sack the Special One. Balancing the fans’ sentiment with the need for progress, they announced their verdict to say goodbye to Mourinho. This choice divided the Roma faithful.

Departure Narrative & Mourinho’s Perspective

Roma’s statement on Mourinho’s departure was brief. Friedkin presented it as a mutual decision. For their part, they expressed a desire to focus on the club’s football club ranking and long-term strategy. However, Corriere dello Sport mentioned that the relationship between Mourinho and the owners had decayed beyond repair. Mourinho, as usual, was emotional. In his farewell message, he expressed gratitude to the fans. But he also took a subtle dig at the lack of resources he had during his tenure. “I gave everything to this club,” he wrote. He also added that Roma would always have a special place in his heart.

Conclusion

José Mourinho’s time at Roma was a real paradox. It was a period of emotional highs and frustrating stagnation. Loved by fans but was let go by the club, his departure underscored the challenges of modern football. Here, financial realities often outweigh loyalty and passion. As Roma look to rebuild and Mourinho considers his next move, one thing remains quite obvious – his legacy at the Stadio Olimpico will not be forgotten.