Jorge Mendes is a plague! How is Mourinho favourite for Barcelona & Chelsea?

Carlo Garganese

• 6 Feb 2024 13:15 GMT
• 4 min read

How does Jose Mourinho keep doing it?

The formerly ‘Special One’ has been outdated as a football manager ever since he was sacked by Chelsea during his second spell there in December 2015.

Mourinho was sacked by the Blues after losing nine of 16 Premier League matches that season.

At that time it was clear that Mourinho’s style of conservative, counter-attacking football was outdated and that he needed to reinvent himself if he was to continue to succeed at the very highest level of football management.

More than eight years on from this sacking, Mourinho still plays pretty much the same football. His teams sit deep and counter, there is little organised pressing and few patterns of attacking play. Mourinho’s teams attempt to form a solid block, and rely on the individual brilliance of their attackers, set-pieces or team spirit to make the difference.

This style of football does not work anymore for big teams. It can win a Europa League, a Conference League and minor trophies, but it won’t win league titles or challenge for Champions League trophies.

Despite this being painfully apparent, Mourinho has still managed to be appointed to prestigious jobs since that Chelsea sacking in December 2015.

He led Man Utd from 2016 to 2018, Tottenham from 2019 to 2021, and Roma from 2022-2024.

On all three occasions, he performed superbly in the minor cup competitions - reaching and winning multiple finals. Indeed, at Roma he won the club’s first European trophy in six decades. A historical achievement that Giallorossi fans will worship him for forever.

But with all three teams he fell well short in the major tournaments such as the league championship or Champions League.

— IM🇵🇹 (@Iconic_Mourinho) January 30, 2024

And on all three occasions, Mourinho’s modern limitations eventually proved too damaging and he was sacked.

His latest axing was only a few weeks ago as he was sacked by Roma as they struggled in ninth place in Serie A,

Off the pitch, Mourinho created a toxic environment - as he did at Tottenham, United and in his second spell with Chelsea - and set a red card record for dismissals from the bench.

Incredibly, despite this latest dismissal, Mourinho is in line for two of the biggest jobs in European football.

As of last week he was considered the favourite with the bookmakers to be the next Barcelona manager when Xavi steps down at the end of the season.

As of Monday, he was second favourite with the bookies behind Girona’s Michel to succeed Mauricio Pochettino if the current Chelsea boss is sacked. It would be a third spell at the club for Mourinho.

Mourinho’s reputation continues to be excellent. The reason for that is his super agent Jorge Mendes, who remains one of the most influential people in football.

Mendes has a very close relationship with Barcelona president Joan Laporta and sporting director Deco. He also has a host of his clients on Barcelona’s books, including Joao Cancelo, Joao Felix and Alejandro Balde.

All this has combined to somehow make Mourinho a very realistic option for the Barcelona bench.

Mendes is also able to use his influence and experience over rookie football figures like Todd Boehly at Chelsea to suggest the return of Mourinho to Stamford Bridge.

Mourinho will be remembered as one of the greatest managers of all time. What he achieved in the first 15 years of his career at Porto, Chelsea, Inter and Real Madrid was incredible.

But, at the age of 61 and well past his best, he shouldn’t even be in the discussion in 2024 for jobs like Barcelona and Chelsea.

You can thank Jorge Mendes for that.