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Jose Mourinho. Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

AS Roma fires Jose Mourinho: What's next for the divisive coach?

By Alyssa Clang | Last updated 1/16/24

Portuguese coach Jose Mourinho exploded into the public consciousness 20 years ago, fueled by his impressive underdog Champions League victory with Porto in 2004. In that time, Mourinho has divided opinion like no other coach; depending on who you talk to, he's either a genius or a charlatan, a generational talent or a complete fraud.

There's only one thing everyone can agree on when it comes to Mourinho: he coaches in three-year cycles. In his first year with a team, he's charismatic and committed and often leads his teams to hard-fought and unexpected victories. In his second year, he's deified by the fanbase, often leveraging the "Us vs, them" language to unite communities behind his cause. In his third, though, everything falls apart. Mourinho's victim mentality flips from charming to grating and he leaves the club in a cloud of acrimony.

We've seen this cycle play out for Mourinho on six separate occasions, with Chelsea, Inter Milan, Real Madrid, Chelsea again (will it ever learn), Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur. So when Mourinho joined Italian club AS Roma in 2021, many fans set a reminder for 2024, certain he'd be on the chopping block as soon as the new year came around.

They were right to think ahead. This morning, AS Roma announced it was parting ways with Mourinho, effective immediately. He is set to be replaced by Roma legend Daniele de Rossi until the end of the 2023-24 season.

BREAKING: José Mourinho and AS Roma part ways with immediate effect.

It’s over. pic.twitter.com/EPnCQClL5R
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 16, 2024

Mourinho delivered plenty of highs during his tenure with Roma. He brought the club to two European finals, winning one (the UEFA Conference League) in 2022. He also reinvigorated Roma's fanbase, bringing global attention to the Italian club--something American owner Dan Friedkin no doubt valued immensely as he worked to increase the club's value.

But things weren't always rosy for Mourinho at the Stadio Olimpico. He received five red cards during his tenure, a near-unthinkable total for a coach. He also fell out with several players, notably Dutch defender Rick Karsdorp. Mourinho's public tirades against Karsdorp riled up Roma fans and forced the player to flee Rome for his own safety.

In recent weeks, Mourinho's Roma went winless in three Serie A matches, losing to AC Milan and Juventus and drawing with Atlanta. The team is in ninth in the Italian league, four points outside of the European qualification spots, and will enter next weekend with a small squad thinned out by injuries.

While Mourinho has many vocal detractors, a sizable chunk of the soccer-viewing public is still firmly behind his antics, so he's remained a hot commodity for top clubs. His availability livens up the coaching market and could cause a ripple effect across European soccer. With several Premier League teams--notably Chelsea, Manchester United and Newcastle--struggling to find their form, Mourinho could well return to England for a fifth stint in the league.

Wherever Mourinho goes, fans can expect drama and entertainment. But they can also expect to be in the market for a new coach in 2027.

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