Reports: Portugal Wants Mourinho As Next National Team Manager

Jose Mourinho has won everywhere he’s gone. Well, almost everywhere, thanks to a brief dry spell at Tottenham. Otherwise, Roma’s manager has delivered trophies at every stop along his illustrious career, most recently leading Roma to the Conference League title in his first season with the club.

He’s known as the Special One for a reason. Mourinho is one of the most successful managers of his generation, so it’s no surprise that any ambitious club would be interested in his services. And now, we can add a national team to the list of parties interested in Mourinho.

Mourinho is Portuguese, so it’s no surprise that the Seleção has turned its attention to Mourinho with Fernando Santos on his way out. According to reports out of Portugal and Italy, Mourinho tops the list of candidates to replace Santos, and the interest is mutual.

However, there’s just one small problem. Mourinho is under contract with the Giallorossi for another 18 months. It’s unlikely that Roma would want to part ways with Mourinho before next season or that Mourinho would want to jump ship in the middle of his latest project.

Accordingly, reports indicate Portugal would like to bring Mourinho in as the national team manager, while still allowing him to continue his role as Roma's manager. Such a dual role would require a complicated agreement between club and country. Nevertheless, as unusual as it is to see a manager simultaneously in charge of a club and national team, it’s not unprecedented. Some notable names have pulled off the feat, including Guus Hiddink and Sir Alex Ferguson.

When I first saw the rumor, my initial reaction was to scoff. And it does seem unlikely, given the massive workload on Mourinho’s plate as Roma's manager. However, I wouldn’t put anything past a man of Mourinho’s ambitions and work ethic. And if he truly wants to lead his national team, would Roma stand in his way?

It’s unlikely the club would want a disgruntled manager in charge, but it also wouldn’t want to abandon the current project midterm. So, perhaps an agreement isn’t as crazy as it looks on the surface.

This is just speculation for now, but if the story persists or gains any steam, this will certainly be something to keep an eye on. Perhaps Mourinho wants to be even more special than he’s already been, bringing success to Portugal in a post-Ronaldo world while also winning with the Giallorossi.

Now that would be truly special.