ROME – AS Roma parted ways with their “Harry Potter” coach Jose Mourinho on Jan 16, with the Italian club’s owners saying the decision was made with the best interests of the team in mind.
Roma are ninth in Serie A after a 3-1 loss to AC Milan on Jan 14 and have struggled to overcome the loss of key players due to injury, including striker Paulo Dybala.
After 20 games of the season, they are 22 points behind league leaders Inter Milan.
Mourinho’s contract was due to expire in June.
“AS Roma can confirm that Jose Mourinho and his coaching staff will leave the club with immediate effect,” the club said in a statement.
“Further updates on the new first team coaching staff will follow imminently.”
Shortly after the announcement, Roma also confirmed that former captain Daniele de Rossi, a World Cup winner with Italy in 2006, was appointed as Mourinho’s replacement on a short-term deal until June 2024.
Roma have taken just four points from their last five league matches, and were eliminated from the Coppa Italia last week after a 1-0 defeat by city rivals Lazio.
Following that loss, Mourinho had likened himself to fictional wizard Harry Potter, saying his position at the club was raising fans’ expectations for success.
“The Roma fans are the most incredible I have seen. Their coach is Jose ‘Harry Potter’ Mourinho and he raises expectations,” said the Portuguese, who during his time in England called himself the “Special One”.
“I don’t know how many derbies I’ve played, 200, 150, they are always special matches. I’ve won, I’ve drawn, I’ve lost, always with a different experience.
“I understand what a derby means. The derby we played was an important derby.”
He also hit back at critics, labelling himself as the perfect example of professionalism, despite his team’s poor recent results.
Yet he has received five red cards in the last two seasons, more than any player in Serie A.
“I’ve been here for two years and five months and I’m the only person here who hasn’t missed a single training session in that time,” he said. “I do not accept in any way that my professionalism and dignity, my heart for this job, can be questioned.”
Despite Mourinho ending his tenure on a sour note, club owners Dan and Ryan Friedkin paid tribute to his impact.
“We would like to thank Jose on behalf of all of us at AS Roma for his passion and efforts since his arrival at the club,” they said in a statement.
“We will always have great memories of his tenure at Roma, but we believe that an immediate change is in the best interests of the club. We wish Jose and his assistants all the best in their future endeavours.”
Mourinho, 60, has coached a host of top European clubs, including Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan, Real Madrid and Manchester United. He was appointed coach of Roma in 2021.
Under him, Roma won the inaugural third-tier Europa Conference League in 2022. He also led them to the last season’s Europa League final, where they were beaten on penalties by Sevilla.
Roma next host 18th-placed Hellas Verona on Jan 20. REUTERS, AFP
