Remember in the spring when Jose Mourinho said we’d know what his next gig was going to be come June? Well, so much for that, as it appears whatever position he had on his mind back then just didn’t come through. Or maybe that was just part of the proverbial plan all along (Jose Mourinho is famous for his mind games), as the Special One has now spoken out about his future.
In an interview with Eleven Sports, the Portugese spoke as in-depth about his future as he has since being sacked by Manchester United in mid-December. The Portugese had been linked with AS Roma down the stretch of the 2018-19 season, and his name has also recently come up in relation to Newcastle United, and perhaps even a return to Chelsea.
Although both of those Premier League managerial gigs could be a long shot at best. Frank Lampard is supposedly the front-runner for the Chelsea job, although there still seems to be some logistical problems in getting the ball rolling on that transaction.
With the chances of landing a new gig with a club in time for the start of next season decreasing, Mourinho is now turning his ambitions towards becoming a national team manager, and not just for his beloved native country of Portugal.
“I want to compete in new competitions,” Mourinho said. “I think about the World Cup and the European Championships. For a long time I have had the desire to try out such an adventure. Right now, I see myself more at a national team than with a new club. Is Portugal the right team for me? Not necessarily.”
It remains to be seen what nation might be the best fit for Mourinho, a very accomplished and ambitious manager. He also isn’t hurting for money, given the expensive parachute United gave him, so he can take his time in sizing up his options.
Plus he has plenty to do, working as a television analyst. In addition to his work with DAZN, Mourinho has served as a pundit for beIN SPORTS, and featured alongside Arsene Wenger for the Champions League final.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” regularly appears on WGN CLTV and co-hosts the “Let’s Get Weird, Sports” podcast on SB Nation.
Banks, a former writer for NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, also contributes to Chicago Now. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram. The content of his cat’s Instagram account is unquestionably superior to his.