Jose Mourinho: Is Portuguese manager running out of time at Roma?



It was the first time a side managed by Jose Mourinho had conceded six goals.

It was considered a major coup for the Italian club when they named Jose Mourinho as their new manager last May, and the city was gripped by a fervour and belief that he was the man to take them to the next level.

His appointment came almost exactly 20 years since the last victory in the Italian league, and there was a sense that things were about to change.

Things have not gone smoothly.

The 6-1 humiliation at the hands of Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt three months ago was the low point of their domestic form.

The same position as last season and one that led to the departure of Paulo Fonseca, as well as a 4-3 loss at home to Juventus on January 9, is what Roma are in this season.

The kind of criticism that has followed the Portuguese in his recent spells in charge of Manchester United and Spurs is familiar to those who have followed him.

He has the support of the club's fans and owners. He has credit in the bank.

Tammy Abraham's signing from Chelsea was part of a 100 million euro investment by the owners of the club.

No-one can succeed at the same place as the other.

The club and manager of "the project" welcomed the appointment of the Portuguese coach with great enthusiasm.

There was a promise of time needed to build something new and long- lasting.

The man has been supported. Matias Vina, Rui Patricio, Marash Kumbulla, Eldor Shomurodov, and Tammy Abraham were all signed for a total investment of 100m euros.

His first eight games in charge yielded seven wins. As winter set in, results became gloomier. They lost the Rome derby to Lazio, were beaten by AC Milan, and suffered surprise losses to Venezia and Bologna.

In the league this season, Roma have only won one game against a club considered to be at their level - a December victory at Atalanta.

The club has had other victories and their recent form has been okay, but the man who was supposed to help them compete with the stronger sides is not doing that yet.

It should be noted that there was an easy situation for him to inherit.

The squad is unbalanced. In the middle of the field, Jordan Veretout is forced to play out of position, while defenders often suffer from lapse in concentration.

The issues of leadership and mentality that pre-dated him have remained untouched, despite the fact that he has forged a reputation as a master of building a strong, stubborn unit.

There are no signs of his trademark football. Where is the defensive solidity and cynicism of his teams? The balance in front of the defence is something that tends to be caught off balance by the Romans, so will the key to that be the player in the middle of the field, like the one in last weekend's win against Cagliari?

Matteo De Santis, a journalist with La Stampa in Rome, said that the fans ofRoma consider the final chance for the Portuguese coach to succeed. It's romantic to think that he will finally bring a trophy to the club, as he talked about the "zero titles" in 2009, when he was at Inter.

He's one of the most successful managers. People love his attitude. He's not afraid to make requests to the club and take on referees. Fans are with him.

The Portuguese manager described the 4-3 victory at AS Roma as a "psychological collapse", and the players celebrated in front of him.

The season will be defined by the Coppa Italia and the Conference League.

There was a feeling that this was a gamble on the part of the club.

It is paying off for the people. There is a greater interest in the club and its owners now that the manager is 59. He is popular with fans and is great for the media.

What matters is how he shapes the team. This is one of the most difficult challenges that Jose has ever faced and, having previously managed clubs of the stature of Chelsea and Inter Milan, there is a sense that he will not get many more opportunities if the "failures" at Manchester United and Spurs are not soon followed by.

Inter Milan, AC Milan, Atalanta and Napoli are all strong in the league, while the other two are struggling.

There are two great opportunities for him in this campaign.

The last 16 of the Coppa Italia will be played on Thursday, with Lecce hosting the Giallorossi, who are into the knockout stages of the ECL despite their defeat in Norway. The path to a European trophy is clear, with his former club Spurs eliminated from the group stages.

The second-tier Europa League was not something that was taken seriously by the man. Now that he's in European football's new third-tier competition, he needs to pursue it.

The two cup competitions will define his season and help to decide how he is judged in Rome.

It has been 61 years since the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup was last won by the club, and ending that barren run would strengthen the view that Jose is the man to bring long-term glory to Rome.