Jose Mourinho has described the bizarre course of events in which he was announced as the new Roma boss just a few days after he was fired by Tottenham, before he seemed to take a swipe at some of his former clubs.
After being fired by Spurs in April, the Portuguese tactician was out of work for just 15 days before Serie A giants Roma announced he would take over from Paulo Fonseca at the end of the season.
Mourinho has now described how the job will be offered as soon as he leaves his role in north London and claims that the passion of the fans and the club’s new owners attracted him to the job.
“The [the owners] really wanted me, he told GQ Portugal (via Football Italia). “It was almost immediate, I left Tottenham in the morning and Roma called me in the afternoon. They wanted me a lot and were objective.
“Something I already felt during my years in Italy was the Italian passion when it comes to football, especially around Roma, a club that has not won trophies in 20 years.
Jose Mourinho left Spurs in April / Clive Brunskill / Getty Images
“These are new owners, who have a very humble approach in a way that they realized was a new chapter in their fantastic professional life, a chapter where they needed help from someone with a broad experience.
“They were very honest and uncomplicated, and I immediately felt the passion I have for my work. So I did not have to think too much about it, because they really touched me with their attitude. I really liked it. “
Mourinho is no stranger to taking on new roles after having ten different spells at the helm of various clubs during his 21-year leadership career.
The three-time Premier League-winning boss was asked if the promises the clubs made to him during the negotiations influenced his decision on where to go next, and he made a not-so-subtle dig that could very well have been directed at his former employer Spurs Manchester United.
Jose Mourinho appointed Roma boss just 15 days after being sacked by Spurs / Pool / Getty Images
“I make mistakes sometimes, I have not always chosen the right project, or I may have been misled about the path of certain projects,” he added. “I have made mistakes or I have been dishonestly led into accepting what I should not ha, but in the end it’s the same thing.
“I still can not believe that I have 30 years of experience in professional football or that I am 58 years old, because I always renew my motivation.
“Recently, I have had very different projects than before. I went to Manchester United in a transition phase, not to mention due date. I went to Tottenham who do not have a history of success. Now I go to Roma with new owners, but I immediately felt this empathy with the owners, the director and they immediately resumed the fire and passion I have for my job.
“This is how I go on another impossible mission. I say impossible because people tend to look at me and in their eyes there is only one way to measure success, it is that I have to win. I always say that if I came to Portugal to coach Belenenses or Gil Vicente, if I did not win, I would not call it a success. ”
