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ROME. — Jose Mourinho was never going to walk into a new job quietly, with all eyes on the new AS Roma coach, on the eve of the Italian Serie A campaign.
The final enduring image of Mourinho’s first and trophy-laden spell in Italy, was of distraught Inter Milan defender Marco Materazzi, being consoled by the Portuguese, after hearing of his coach’s decision to leave for Real Madrid.
Having steered Inter to an unprecedented treble in 2010, Mourinho, also in tears, departed after winning everything he could in a short two-year tenure. Now back in Serie A with Roma, he returns a different proposition entirely.
Mourinho has suffered declining levels of success since leaving Italy 11 years ago, having won two league titles in that time, compared to six in the previous eight campaigns.
After several much publicised bust-ups with players, during his previous two jobs in England, the new image of Mourinho is not one of player adulation and unrivalled glory, but one of a fiery, confrontational figure who is back in Italy to ruffle some feathers. He is, however, fully aware, that the Italian media will be hanging on his every word.
“I am smiling because I had a record of 40 days without interviews,” Mourinho joked on Instagram this week.
“(I had an) Amazing time where I only focused on work and forgot my friends from the press. Nothing interesting really to be honest. Love the press, (I have) missed them a lot.”
He has already been causing a stir, even before the season is under way.
Roma were beaten 5-2 by Spanish side Real Betis earlier this month in a friendly. They finished a bad tempered match with just eight men, having seen three of their players sent off. Not to be outdone, Mourinho himself was sent off by the referee for being over-zealous in his protests, getting right in the face of the official, despite the match being a friendly. — AFP.
Online Reporter