Hiring Mourinho would cost Inter in the region of £79million

Barcelona have gone with Pep Guardiola, Real Madrid are sticking with Bernd Schuster. AC Milan insist privately that Carlo Ancelotti will remain, even if the club do not qualify for the Champions League, and will groom Alessandro Costacurta, his assistant and a local hero, as his successor. This leaves Inter Milan as the only stellar club that may require José Mourinho next season, although the combined cost of losing Roberto Mancini and appointing the special one are estimated at ¤100 million (about £79 million).

Inter are on course for a third consecutive Serie A title and inheriting such an established level of success is not Mourinho’s style. The way he sees it, what is special about following a well-trodden path? Maybe he should have taken the England job after all. Who would have thought it?

DEBATE: Is José Mourinho still special? Would you give him a top job? Have your say, by filling in the comment field at the bottom of this post.

Comments

[Joseph Sexton]

"although the combined cost of losing Roberto Mancini and appointing the special one are estimated at ¤100 million (about £79 million)."

What?!?

Where are those figures coming from?

[James Mann]

With all that has gone on at ManCity in the past few months, I believe the only thing Dr Thaksin could do to restore the fans' faith in his stewardship of the club would be to recruit Mourinho at any cost. We may not be a "big club" in the mould of Inter or Barca, but I'd be surprised if the challenge of turning us into a power in football did not intrigue him. I suspect he'd also relish the thought of getting up SAF's nose! If Dr T can promise him significant transfer funds and a free hand he'd be mad not to come, especially with most of the alternative vacancies already filled.

Or is he waiting to see if SAF retires after the CL final?

Mourinho for City? YES! YES! YES!

[chris reid]

Message from a city fan to jose. We don't care how you get here, just get here when you can.

[Paul Kelso]

Has everybody forgot that there is a major tournament coming up very soon where many vacancies are sure to arise?

I wouldn't be surprised to find Jose taking on a freshly vacant national job after the finals have finished (i.e. Portugal is an obvious choice but perhaps the ultimate underachievers Spain?).

[Drew]

mourinho is an entertaining fella, but i wouldnt ever want him to manage my team manchester united! the style of football that his teams play were sucking the life out of football! chelsea were dour and unattractive - very much a physical side who bullied teams out of the running. don't get me wrong, his record is very impressive and im not goin to say chelsea didnt deserve those two championships, but the style is not in keeping with what i regard entertaining football. good to see my team winnin back to back titles with fast, attacking, entertaining football! and his CL with porto - i seem to remember a horrendous decision by the linesman denying paul scholes a perfectly legitimate goal that would have put united 2 up and through! luck plays a big part in the CL, thats why u cant call rafa benitez a great manager!

[Joseph]

It's hard to imagine that Jose would compromise on his style and approach. I'm not sure Presidents at Europe's top clubs would allow Jose all the freedoms that he had at the start of his time and Chelsea. Even clubs like Madrid and Barcelona want to win trophies but only by playing football the right way. Perhaps he would be better suited to Italy. His record speaks for itself.

[James D]

I think any chairman thinking of hot-dialing to Portugal should be wary that they are selling their sides footballing soul. Mourinho is the best manager in the world at winning games, but as Sam Allardyce or indeed Avram Grant may yet tell you, often winning is not enough.

However, If Mr Mourinho fancies the Hawthorns as opposed to the San Siro, I'd welcome him with open arms.

[Adam]

He's still special, there's no doubt about that given his track record but it doesn't seem likely that he's going to get his pick of the top jobs next season.

Perhaps it's because at the top clubs in the top European leagues relative success and the money it brings is more or less guaranteed. Mourinho probably makes winning a trophy more likely than the next guy but he doesn't guarantee it. In which case why would an egocentric chairman hire him for significantly more money than Pep Guardiola or Alessandro Costacurta are going to cost and then have to deal with the inevitable histrionics. The answer's obvious to me but then what do I know about running a football club? Moreover, the fans of the big clubs aren't screaming for him either because his teams are seen (unfairly in my book) as dull and functional.

I wonder whether Mourinho regrets not taking on the challenge at Tottenham Hotspur. As ambitious board, a full stadium every week, a decent squad and money to spend. The club has the potential to succeed and the credit for taking the club to the next level would have been his and his alone. There's not many clubs like Tottenham in Europe at the moment, the second rung clubs in Italy and Spain don't seem to have any cash - Valencia being a particularly good example.

Still, if Mourinho did take over at a middle range club and knocked one of the big boys off their perch I imagine they'd be on the phone to him pretty sharpish.

[Bob Greenaway]

Somehow I doubt if Inter will appeal,there will be pressure to win the Italian title as of right.His style is very reminiscent of Brian Clough,simple & overbearing.He needs a club with a massive budget looking to restore fallen glories,Man City would seem to fit the bill providing he can establish the chairman/owner will not dabble-somewhat debateable.How he would relish having a crack at "Sir" as the local underdog.What a mouthwatering prospect.

[Davie P]

Avram's not THAT good. Contrary to popular belief, when he took over prior to the Manu game, both were on 11 points from 6 and utd had +1 goal. So Avram lost 2 points and 18 goals to manu over the bulk of the season.
Maybe not so bad, however he:
a) had the full backing and non interference of Roman
b) flopped in the league cup final
c) lost to Barnsley in the FACup when all the big 4 were already out.
At least he got that bit of luck vs. Liverpool that jose didn't.

[Femi]

What Jose Mourinho did during his time at Chelsea was to make them champions (not a nearly team!).

The winners mentality is the most difficult bit to attain and substain. He did that.

Like him or loathe him, he brought a different brand of entertainment to the premiership as well. His legacy continues to live at Chelsea.

[Davie P]

Message to Roman: Get Jose back and promise never to interfere in player purchases & sales & team selection - as per SAF, Wenger & Rafa at ManU, Arsenal & Liverpool etc.

[Humberto]

he won2 portuguese legues,2 cups,uefa cup and CL in 2 years at porto,came to chealsea 2 legues,and cups....
do you need more???
wake up

[hassaan bashir]

love or loath him, there is no other way with jose, this is what make him special, he makes football more interesting, more glamourous ... his rivalry with richard was one the best things that happened to the world of football in last few years ... he deserves to be a the top clubs.

[teddy messy]

YES! jose is 100% the special one.

[chelseafan]

i think all of the big clubs like barcelona, ac milan, inter, madrid and even arsenal (no chance but should) should try to get him. look at what he made of chelsea. he won them the title in his first year and their first in 50 years. hes got a great head on his shoulders and knows how to focus just on winning. ideal for struggling clubs with big names cos he knows how to bind strong players together. england, barca, che, milan and inter would benefit hugely.

[Sifiso Patel]

I think "the special" is too good for the italian league or any other league for that matter except for the english premiership. His accomplishments speak for themselves, he took a team that was not in running to win the champions league and suprise, suprise he won it. I think that Arsenal would best bennefit from the motivational talents that "the special one" has because the team is in a really dimotivated state of mind right now.

[Micky]

I agree that Mourinho would find Spain and Italy boring. Chelsea had not won a thing for 50 years (with the FA Cup obviously not everyone's 'dram to win' anymore) before he became manager, then they wins 2 EPL, 1 FA Cup and 2 league cups, so it seems like he is only challenged in the best league in the world. Maybe he could take City or someone of the likes to some trophies.

[Robert]

I can't believe I'm going to say this but I would love to see Roman and Jose bury the hatchet in the field in Moscow over a devastating Chelsea loss. I would love to see Jose come back to Chelsea where he was at his best, the team were at their best. Jose at Chelsea is what made me an EPL/Chelsea/European footbal fan. I knew about Man-U but didn't start watching EPL/European football until I saw Chelsea under Mourinho (on Fox Soccer Channel). I know I'm dreaming so don't hit me too hard with the comments. Roman wake up! Chelsea is a great brand with Jose at the helm. That's it..Go Chelsea, beat Man-U. Final score Chelsea 2 Man-U 0

[philip]

I think he is a good manager and his teams follow him and regard him a real leader. It works, but then look at Avram Grant! much the opposite yet has also shown great prospects and especially!.... taken them to a step nearer their ultimate goal the champions league, though not this time i fear.

[Anthony]

Any question marks over Mourinho's abiltiy as a manager are without merit. His record is exceptional.

The only thing he hasn't done is remain at a club long enough to have to build a completely new team and a squad that is entirely his own, as Ferguson has done numerous times at United and Wenger has done at Arsenal (from Arsenal's FA cup winning team of 2005, Kolo Toure is the only player who is still a first choice player in the current team). But he might never do this.

The continental approach, at the big clubs at least, tends to see managers take charge for no more than 5 or 6 years at the most before it is decided that a change is needed. Sven Goran Eriksson, for example, has managed 8 clubs (Benfica twice), his longest reign lasting for 5 years. When Bobby Robson embarked on his tour of European clubs in the 90's (with Mourinho the interpreter at his side), his longest stay was 3 years in charge of PSV.

Mourinho will deter some clubs because of the cautious style of his teams. That is probably why Barcelona are not interested. However, Inter Milan, birthplace of the Catenaccio; they are a match made in football heaven.

[justin]

I would love to see him take over at Palermo or Napoli for next season. Perfect fit for him

[encurtido]

Chelsea under Mourinho weren't boring when they played a fast 4-3-3 and had Robben & Duff on the wings. (remember the dismantling of a good Barca team?) It was only after the owner started making ridiculous purchases that the style of play got dull.

Mourinho's the real deal. He'll land somewhere interesting and, I hope, surprising.

[Josh Dickson]

I can't think of too much he's done wrong to warrant any questioning of his ability. The main issue here is whether Grant's "achievements" at Chelsea have softened Mourinho's. Grant getting to the champions league final, whilst a good achievement, I believe Mourinho could've done had he had a second leg at home. Just look at what he's achieved. Grant can't have dampened Mourinho's reputation too much because he's won nothing. Chelsea were level on points with us when he took over anyway so its not too big an achievement to make it to the last day. Mourinho created a club that was so unified in everything that its incorrect to say he causes trouble with his comments; it was Abramovich who caused the fuss. Mourinho is world class as his achievements have proved, and he's a great character on top of that. The only drawback is the DOUR PRAGMATIC football his sides produce.

[shahram]

He is a good coach with big mouth,

[Chorltonian Red]

To be in a TOP job you need to win the big games. Look at Fergie, he's won countless big games. The thing about Jose is, and as a MUFC fan, he beat us in rather a lot of BIG games!

You have to respect his record and what makes him stand out more than any other top coach - is his passion. Telling the Scousers to lip it was a classic!(League Cup).

Jose was wise not to let the FA bigwigs and vitriol that is teh England job destroy his career.

Inter would suit the fella, I can see a Prada suit contract in the offing!

[Rob]

Yes - just to upset Graham Poll

[P Flannery]

Mourinho's career was built upon his Porto team cheating Celtic out of the Uefa Cup in 2002, therefore I think he should make amends and take over from Gordon Strachan next season...lets face it, Celtic have the greatest supporters in the world, lets have the greatest manager!

Mourinho is the special one. His records speaks for itself.
Mourinho for the big job? Of course, he deserves it, if I were in the position to hire the manager, I would go for mourinho. He was the chelsea FC, he won the back-to-back title in style, the result is important than beautiful football. He is the perfect one for the modern football, fans love him, players, press, and my wife love him too.

[Chapman]

I guess Jose will end up at Manchester City.Sven will go after the Tour of Thailand as Thaksin needs a manager at the helm during these visits.Scolari intends that Portugal will go a long way in the European competition this summer and will not consider leaving until after the tournament.So its back to Jose.Bring him on down!!

[Diablo]

He is coming to a big club City... we will wipe the sickly smug smiles from the faces of the rag infested press and the glory hunting cardboard cut outs who "support" the same old tediously boring,death of football big 4...

[anon]

This article is called "Hiring Mourinho would cost Inter in the region of £79million". Where have these figures come from? There is no explanation in the article at how this amount has been arrived at, I would be keen know where Samuel has got his figures from as that doesn't seem a realistic figure.

[fred]

The so called great one style of football at chelsea is so boring with all the talent and money at his disposal.
He is so full of himself with his wierd comments and idiosyncracies. Maybe he deserves one more shot at Inter Milan, not in England. Many people are tired of his ranting and ravings with unattractive football compared to Arsenal and Man United.

Fred
London

[CsB]

Yeah, give Inter to Mourinho. He can make them only better.

Inter was given the first title 2 years ago at the "green table", the second was won with Juve relegated and Milan with an 8 point deduction, and now they are struggling not to lose that they have won months ago. Still they are nowhere in CL.

An Inter is doing so with far the best squad (as far as names mea a thing) , the longest quality bench on earth.

CSB , an AC Milan fan.

[Rob]

There is only one Mourinho. The Special One will be back and won't the football world be waiting with baited anticipation. Lucky is the team who shall secure his service. For them, the possibility is limitless. For the opposition, its hammertime. This time he has some added incentive, not that he needed it. Payback. Love to see how Chelsea respond without the likes of Drogba, Lampard, Essien, Carvalho & Cech. I can't wait to see what Grant can do with his "own team". Can you imagine what it would be like to watch Chelsea play against Mourinho's new team in the Champions League? He is the by far the biggest loss to the Premiership and his return will be great for the Champions League next season.

[DAZ-CABS]

Your Taxi to Eastlands is awaiting you Jose.

[Zuzana]

I think Mourinho is too good for Italy or Spain. I believe that Premier League only is the challenge for him.

[David]

Inter are not an a stable club and they do need to be sorted out. I am not as certain as you are that they will win the league(They drew with Siena last Sunday and go to Parma this Sunday.)Many Inter fans were unhappy with Mancini/Mihjalevic. Inter are perennial underachievers in the Champions League. Whoever takes this job has a lot of 'cleaning' to do.

Mourinho would be perfect for this job. And I do think Moratti will spend that kind of money to get him.

[Syed]

Winning Champions League with Porto and back-to-back Premier League with Chelsea (a club who didn't win the title for 50 years) says it all really. He didn't only win the League - but dominated it (unlike Man U in the last 2 years). He didn't only win the Champions League Final but thrashed a Monaco side which knocked out Chelsea & Real Madrid among others 3-0. Just compare it with Ferguson - manager of (one of) the richest football club in the world for around 20 years and he managed to get his side once to Champions League Final. Comparing him with Wenger & Benitez is, of course, laughable.

Jose is by a distance the best manager in world football. Winner of UEFA manager of the Year for 3 years in a row.

[Simon Matibula]

You must be joking?! What were Porto if they weren't an average team! ________________________________
Before Mourinho came, FC Porto had won the European Champions Cup, the European Super Cup, and the Intercontinental Cup. Domestically, they had racked up almost 20 Portuguese titles, more than 24 Portuguese Cups and Portuguese Super Cups. This is hardly a team that was average.
And neither was Chelsea average, by the way. Under Ranieri, Chelsea had reached the semi finals of the CL and were second to Arsenal in the League. More importantly, Roman had spent millions of pounds to buy new players!! When Mourinho came, Chelsea were not exactly far away from the log title!
This was hardly a team that required any more special powers than to agonise over who should be in the starting 11 given the number of stars in the team.
Having said that, I would not argue that Mourinho is a lucky Manager. He is good; just not special. If he were, I bet he would have long been hired by now. However it would be gullible for anyone to gloss over the fact that his special powers failed to take Chelsea beyond the semi finals of the CL. Avram Grant has, without much ado. Is Mourinho more special than Avram Grant who, in first season, has achieved what Mourinho failed to do in 3 seasons?!!

[Varsi Padayachee]

Jose has proven that is is at the top of the pile. It goes without saying that he is a brilliant manager. His brilliant career at Porto not withstanding, he molded Joe Cole, John Terry and John Lampard into the stars they are today. Yes they were talented, but superstars, far from it. That is the mark of a brilliant manager, not like the undertaker Chelsea have now!

[RedGazza]

José Mourinho approach to football would suit a big Italian team, lot's of diving, plently of defensive play and nice suits!

[Teddy M]

Of course he does. He is a top manager for his achievements with Oporto. But Mourinho is an acquired taste for top clubs. he would not fit the Playing ethos of top teams: Manutd, Real Madrid, Barca or Milan

[C Savvas]

'Why doesn't he take a job where he has an average amount of money, and an average squad performing averagely, and prove that he is the "Special One", somewhere like Man City. Until he does that, he will just be a lucky manager.'

------------------------

You must be joking?! What were Porto if they weren't an average team! He won the bloody champions league with them and you're saying he's a lucky manager. Comical!

[Jeremy]

It's a toughie.

In Europe the big guys are all covered. Even if Inter's run in does cause implosion, which is still distinctly possible, not sure Moratti would care to pay the sums mentioned above.

Before he tries to bring any of his tried lieutenants into the fold too.

Others? Italy - Well Juve have CL football back again & Ranieri has kept the seat warm, second time unlucky for the Tinkerman? Unlikely at conservative Juve.

Spain - Athletico was a good call above, though do they have the budget?

Germany - Jurgen's in at Bayern, so would a Stuttgart type fit the bill instead? Probably not.

England - City, too many autocrats; Liverpool, possible - I think he would love to do one on Rafa & he realises the passion at Anfield is pretty good, if only DIC could take over.

No other league rich enough to support him financially or egotistically.

Looks like it might be a quiet summer for Jose unless Rafa takes the plunge.

[Louise]

If you can inspire such levels of adoration and devotion from fans and players alike as he did at Porto and Chelsea then there is something 'special' about you and its half the battle won. He won two European titles(and two league titles plus cups)in two years,i don't think you can call that luck.I'd agree Porto had an easier route to the CL final but then you could say the same about Avram Grant's Chelsea this year:Fenerbache,Olympiakos etc and even then they only scraped by. Seems Mourinho's tenure at Chelsea has done his reputation more harm than good. He doesn't need to prove himself at a smaller club he already did that at Leiria.
If i were an Inter boss i would look at it like this:He has an excellent record against big teams in big matches(excepting two semis against Liverpool that were won by a dodgy goal and then on pens)which Mancini does not, he's won a UEFA cup and a CL(more than Wenger has and something Inter are desperate for),he's an expert motivator and is able to change games-only lost one of the numerous(7?)finals he's managed in,he will make the players walk through fire for him and create a great team spirit(Something Inter also need imo)and he will bring mountains of attention and publicity to Inter and Serie A.
He will fit perfectly into Italian football, Italains don't moan about style when they're winning. The boring football is mostly a myth anyway but if you were in a job where your predecessor had giuded the team to a CL semi and 2nd in the league but still been stabbed in the back and given the heave-ho, would your first priority be style?He grew up in the strange world of Portugese football where one bad game can be your last, he saw his father get fired and had to leave his Benfica job even when he was getting them great results.At Chelsea he was given the brief to win at all costs and he did by creating a side that was almost impossible to beat and buying and moulding players with that mentality. Then the rules were changed on him.
Come on United in Moscow!Leave Chelsea to there surreal must-have-instant-success world which will eventually implode and good luck to Mourinho wherever he ends up. May he one day become as good as Sir Alex :)

[Frederico Torre]

Mourinho, Lucky?!?
Yes, it was all down to luck:
- the two Portuguese league cups with more than 10 points advantage;
- the Uefa Cup (trashing Lazio 4-1 in the semis!);
- The champions Cup, with wins over Man Utd (if you remember the first hand, it was all Porto, Man Utd was lucky to loose only 2-1!), Lyon, Corunha (which Milan couldn't do) and Monaco (which Real Madrid and... Chelsea couldn't do!)
- the Two Premier league cup, the first finishing with a record 95 points, most clean sheets, fewest goals conceded and most victories, while loosing only one game, and the second with an 18 point advantage mid season!!
-the two Champion league semi finals at Chelsea;
Get real....
And for those who says it was all down to money at Chelsea, please explain is career in Porto!

[Costa Pereira]

Mourinho is on his way to Liverpol or to Man City surely.

[Miguel de Mattos]

He certainly deserves a "top job"in our opinion. Yeserday, for the first time, he told us here in Portugal that soon he will be coaching again!! Where he will be going we still do not know but you can be sure he will be a success whichever country he will work in!!(As long as there is no "knife-sticking-in-the back") get what I mean??? Miguel de Mattos - Portugal

[Andy Hillman]

If Mourinho *really* wants a challenge I know another West London club on the lookout for a manager

(Please not Ian Dowie...)

[Timothy Tanner]

He did win the CL with Porto and a lot with Chelsea so he is clearly very very skilled. I think Grant getting them to the CL final and last day of the league has diminished the star of Jose quite a bit but so did Sven's England career. One successful job will restore the star.

If I was an owner, I would have some worries:
1) His habit of saying nasty things will undermine the image of a club.
2) He had a side containing flair players like Joe Cole and Robben but then turned them into a boring side. Would he do that here?
3) His failure to really work with the youth system. Chelsea do have good players in there like Sinclair, Ben Sahar and Gaël Kakuta yet he dismissed the youth system due to quarrels with the board. Might be being harsh on him here
4) Did Chelsea start to stagnate under him?

I would be more inclined to go for Sven if I was a big club with a manager but Jose would be on my shortlist. I think he will find a job sooner rather then later and continue to wow the press.

[Bryn Garn]

Mourinho is on his way to Man City surely.

[SOMboy]

Wouldn't Atletico Madrid be a good fit for José Mourinho? Would seem like an ideal challenge for him.

[Mia Fiona]

I have this weird feeling that he wants Rafa's job! I know it sounds ridiculous, but he refused the offers when Rafa's future was in doubt back in December. However the boardroom rest funnily made Rafa irreplaceable.

[Reggie]

Are you serious? OF COURSE HE STILL DESERVES A TOP JOB!!!!!!!!!!!

[Jay]

Why do we believe that Mourinho is "The Special One". Because he said it? Granted, he was a good manager, but is he really as good as we think? He was lucky with Porto when they won the Champions League (which other year in recent memory would they have won it, not to mention beating MU in a dodgy game), and he inherited an incredible squad at Chelsea (where the best of the players had been signed by Ranieri). Why doesn't he take a job where he has an average amount of money, and an average squad performing averagely, and prove that he is the "Special One", somewhere like Man City. Until he does that, he will just be a lucky manager. But that's all Napoleon required in his generals, so maybe that's not such a condemnation

[Sam]

Haha, I never thought i'd say this, but im absloutly delighted no one can afford him and even want him for that matter. i love him at Chelsea, and i really hope we dont have him against us any day soon!