Two time UEFA Champions League winner appointed Roma boss from the start of next campaign, with Paulo Fonseca to leave at the end of the season
By Craig Humpage
Editor-in-Chief, Sporticos
Published on Monday 10 May 2021
Jose Mourinho has signed a contract to take over at Roma next season and the response has been mixed. Some supporters and pundits are optimistic about the Portuguese and his chances of having another successful spell in Italy, as he did a decade ago at Inter Milan. Others fear that he doesn't have what it takes turn things around for the Rome club, who crashed out of the Europa League 8-5 on aggregate against Manchester United last week. There has been speculation about what players he might sign when he takes over from fellow Portuguese Paulo Fonseca who will exit at the end of the season. Many are fascinated to see what will happen to ex-United players Chris Smalling and Henrikh Mkhitaryan. Like with any news about the "Special One", there is always a media and online circus and tonnes of narratives. Let's take a look at some of the reaction from Twitter.
Jose Mourinho ingratiates himself with the Roma fans early
Jose wasted no time in finding new work after being slung out by Spurs only weeks ago. When he signed a deal with TalkSport to do their Euro 2020 coverage this summer, you might have felt he would be out the game for a while, but days later came news of the deal that will see him replace Fonseca. He was quick to put out a statement about how excited he was to take over and the role supporters played in convincing him to accept the job. He will hope he can keep supporters on side for a while and build some positive energy around the club and the city.
Then the jokes started...
As is the case with almost anything newsworthy on Twitter, there were simply too many jokes, memes and GIFs to highlight upon the news of Jose Mourinho's appointment. One particular tweet which caught the eye of many on Twitter came from budget airline Ryanair. In keeping with the recent trend of brands seemingly hiring comedians to run their social media accounts, the Irish company made a quip about his lack of success at Spurs. Not sure how well that went down with the man himself but it made a lot people chuckle on social media.
Many seem happy to have the Champions League winner
Along with many European football experts, lots of AS Roma supporters on Twitter welcomed the news of Jose Mourinho's appointment and seem very optimistic about their new manager. When you look at his trophy haul and style of play, it's easy to see why. Apart from his barren spell at Spurs, he's won in one form or another with every team he's coached. His time at Inter Milan, in which he won the Champions League, shows his track record in Italy. Even in his ill-fated tenure at Manchester United, he won things. Many analysts have also pointed to Mourinho's suitability to the Italian league. The style of play he is known for hasn't worked too well in recent years in the Premier League but could still work wonders in Italian football. It's not wholly dissimilar to the way Antonio Conte likes to play and he just won the league with Inter. Many see those two reigniting their bitter rivalry and believe Roma can become title challengers themselves in coming seasons under the "Special One". Those factors combined seem to have fostered some cautious optimism among many fans.
Enrique Perrella, Editor-in-Chief of Airways Magazine tweeted out his hopes for a summer rebuild:
He was also kind enough to give us his thoughts in more depth. He said: "I believe it is exactly what Roma needs, not only because of the awful season they just had, but also because the team, the city and all its fans needed strong signs of commitment from the Friedkins. Appointing Mourinho demonstrates that the new American owners have a serious and ambitious project." He went on to talk about the impact Jose could have with the local media: "Mourinho is the perfect choice for AS Roma. His arrogance and brilliant handling of the press will play a key role in the day to day activities within and outside Trigoria. The Roman radio stations and the never-ending pressure from the press will certainly be inhibited by his straightforward personality."
We also got in touch with AS Roma Club UK, a British fan group who gave us their thoughts, including this tweet:
Possible Trouble in Paradise?
But not every tweet was so positive. Many people have pointed to the possible negative aspects of the upcoming union between Jose and Roma. One particular thread which got a lot of attention - mostly in the form of memes and jokes - was the future of former Manchester United players Chris Smalling and Henrikh Mkhitaryan. It has been argued that both players fled to Italy just to escape the Portuguese. The Armenian in particular is said to have had a terrible relationship with the former United coach. It is believed that their personalities clashed in a big way. While the same may not be completely true for Smalling, he may be in two minds about his future.
Then the transfer speculation started...
It wouldn't be a Jose Mourinho appointment without a transfer rumour circus. Practically every player he's ever worked with or had a coffee with has been linked to Roma in the last week, some more credible than others. Everyone is speculating about what he might do with the club's bloated squad this summer, while others are visualising who might be a good fit for him. Some of the most notable names popping up on our Twitter feed were out-of-favour Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea, Spurs' Erik Lamela, former Chelsea and current Real Madrid playmaker Eden Hazard and even Nathan Ake from Manchester City. Nobody knows for sure what direction Mourinho will go in, how much money he will be given, and what level of player the club will be able to attract. That won't stop Twitter having fun with fantasy transfers.
How's it all going to play out?
Nobody knows for sure who the future Roma boss will sign, how well he will connect with fans or whether he'll win anything or not. It's also unclear exactly what will be expected from him. There are so many unanswered questions but one thing we do know is that people are interested. When next season begins, the world will be watching to see if the "Special One" can do what he did with Inter Milan. Serie A is a league which could still work for his style of play and you'd be foolish to completely count him out just yet.
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