For all the doubters who suggest Jose Mourinho is past it, and the game has moved on from him, the Chelsea icon is about to go an entire season unbeaten. But could he return to Chelsea?
Mourinho has guided Benfica to an unbeaten season in Liga NOS. Benfica have three games left to play, and the former Chelsea boss is close to going 34 games without defeat – but Benfica sit in second place.
The Portuguese icon only joined Benfica at the start of the season after a stint in Turkey with Fenerbahce. But it appears he is on the move already, with Florentino Perez keen to lure him back to Real Madrid.
We were too harsh on Poch!
Chelsea, meanwhile, are scouring the market for a new manager of their own, and Mourinho has been loosely linked with a return. Of course, Mourinho still has a house in Chelsea, where his family resides.
Jason Cundy discusses a possible return for Jose Mourinho
If Mourinho is available and Chelsea are looking for a new manager, then inevitably there will be talk of the ‘Special One’ returning for a third stint. But Chelsea would prefer a younger manager to come in.
Andoni Iraola, Marco Silva and Xabi Alonso remain the frontrunners for the Chelsea job, while the Blues have also been linked with Oliver Glasner and Niko Kovac. Mourinho is not in BlueCo’s thinking.
Jamie O’Hara asked Jason Cundy on TalkSPORT if he would have Mourinho back at the club, and Cundy explained that Mourinho would not be considered by Chelsea because he would not work with BlueCo.
“No. Look, Mourinho will always live long in Chelsea’s hearts because of what he achieved and what he did for the football club. But Jose changed, the game has changed, I’ve no doubt he still has a quality.
“I find it crazy that Real Madrid have moved away from Zidane, went to Ancelotti, then Alonso – they wanted to go in a different direction; a slightly younger head coach, now they’re going with Jose again.
“It feels like they’re a bit lost. I just don’t think it would work at Chelsea again. Jose won’t manage up, he will chew and spit those owners out. He’s got his own way, he’s got his own CV to back him up.
“He’d put out fires, he’d fix things, but when he’d leave it would be under a cloud. You’d have to do it on his terms, Real Madrid might but Chelsea aren’t that club,” Cundy said, discussing a return for Mourinho.
BlueCo have a problem, and they must change in manager search
Cundy raises a good point. Any manager worth their salt will look at Chelsea’s recent history when it comes to managers and question a move to Stamford Bridge, while BlueCo have such an active presence.
Does Jose Mourinho have a point?👀
Liam Rosenior was hired because he would accept anything BlueCo, Todd Boehly, Behdad Eghbali and the club’s five sporting directors throw at him. But that’s the issue; a top manager won’t want that situation.
Not only that, but Chelsea’s willingness to sack managers will put off any incoming gaffer. Sam Allardyce told Marco Silva to ignore a move to Chelsea unless BlueCo agrees to taking a step back moving forward.
Glasner is not high on the shortlist because of reservations over working with the current structure. The Blues hierarchy needs to realise that they will struggle to hire a top manager if they keep getting involved.
Receive a digest of our best Chelsea content each week direct to your mailbox
