The ultimate box office manager

Roma finished the season sixth in Serie A, a point behind Roman rivals Lazio, but defended their early goal against Feyenoord last night to win the inaugural Uefa Conference League. Jose Mourinho is hard to love, but that’s his fifth European trophy at four different clubs. There’s a lot of amore for him this morning in the Eternal City.

He is intemperate, a year in Rome has brought multiple censures for behaviour towards referees, including outright accusing one of being sent by Juventus (stranger things have happened). His longest stint at a club has been three years, achieved in his first spell at Chelsea and at Real Madrid. Either his patience, or those of his employers, runs out by that mark. A notorious incident with the Chelsea club doctor in 2015 quite publicly marked him as someone you don’t really want as a neighbour.

You and I got to know the man and his methods before most of Europe. We were unimpressed. But still, he has talent. When Roma have had enough of his antics next year, or in 2024, there will be plenty of offers. He is the ultimate box office manager.