Following Portugal’s early elimination from the World Cup, Fernando Santos was fired.
The Portuguese Football Federation has been contacted by Jose Mourinho, manager of Roma, to inform them that he is not interested in managing the national team. This month, Fernando Santos was fired after Portugal’s disappointing World Cup performance.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s team lost to Morocco in the World Cup quarterfinals, sending them home in what is probably his final World Cup campaign. After the full-time whistle blew, the 37-year-old was devastated and ran down the tunnel to hide from the onlookers and photographers.
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Some believe Santo took one risk too many by benching Ronaldo in the competition’s knockout rounds in favor of Goncalo Ramos, a star for Benfica who scored a hat-trick against Switzerland in the Round of 16. It has become urgent to appoint a new manager to replace the Euro 2016 champion.
Mourinho has received a lot of attention on the position, and there are rumors that powerful agent Jorge Mendes may be behind any move. However, Mourinho reportedly told Portugal that he wants to stay in Rome, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport.
The former Chelsea and Manchester United player prefers to concentrate on reviving Roma rather juggling many responsibilities.
Mourinho’s employers are adamant that they won’t “share” him and believe that his remuneration merits their complete attention.
Roma is only willing to let the coach entertain talks if it is made clear that they will receive compensation for his departure. This is because Roma is aware of how highly sought-after their manager is when top positions become vacant. There is reportedly no termination provision in his contract, though.
Santos had a lot of success with Portugal, but his choices in Qatar may have cost him the most in the long run. After being fired, the 68-year-old was congratulated by the international team on Twitter, who wrote: “It was an honor to have a coach and a person like Fernando Santos at the head of the National Team.
The FPF expresses appreciation to Fernando Santos and his technical staff for their contributions over eight exceptional years, and it is believed that the Portuguese people share this appreciation. The process of selecting the following national coach will now be started by the FPF Board.
One of the first celebrities to speak out following Santo’s resignation was Manchester United playmaker Bruno Fernandes, who thanked Santo for giving him the opportunity he had on the world scene.