Roma will back Mourinho over players – report
By his own standards, José Mourinho’s return to Italian football has so far not been the success he may have hoped. AS Roma appointed the Portuguese last summer, hoping Mourinho would replicate the success enjoyed with Inter just over a decade prior.
However, despite Roma experiencing a somewhat underwhelming season, reports from Italy insist the Giallorossi are totally committed to their coach and will back him in ever department as they remain focused on their three-year project under Mourinho.
Roma are currently 7th in Serie A, with results comparing unfavourably with those of previous boss Paulo Fonseca. A difficult in competing in matches against the big teams remains an issue since Fonseca’s tenure, while there was an embarrassing 6-1 defeat to Norwegians Bodo Glimt in the Europa Conference League in October.
Tuesday’s 2-0 loss to Internazionale saw Roma eliminated from the Coppa Italia, and the post-match meeting in the dressing room reportedly saw Mourinho take aim at his players, most of whom are believed to trust his vision. According to the well-sourced Corriere dello Sport, Mourinho surprised the squad by accusing them of lacking personality and character to match him ambitions.
“I want to know why for two years you have shown yourselves to be small against the big clubs,” the paper quotes Mourinho as saying. “If we are small, the referees treat us as children! They treat Roma as a child. Inter is a super team, you had it in front of you and instead of finding the right reasons you sh** yourself! The biggest flaw of a man is the lack of b***s, of personality. Are you afraid of games like this? So go play in Serie C where you will never find teams with champions, top stadiums, the pressures of great football. You are people without b***s. The worst thing for a man!”
If Mourinho’s hard-line approach appeared risky, the same publication followed up the story on Friday by claiming the club have backed their manager with freedom to challenge the players. Corriere dello Sport says Roma are totally committed to Mourinho’s plan and any players who are unhappy with his methods will be sold this summer.
Furthermore, the owners are willing to support Mourinho in overhauling the squad if necessary, with sporting director Tiago Pinto working closely with his countryman in making plans ahead of next season. “We hired him for experience, intelligence and leadership to change the mentality. It was the right choice, he'll be one of the best coaches in Roma history,” Pinto said back in November.
It appears he and those who matter at the club have not changed their minds.
By Sean Gillen