Famous Portuguese People: Jose Mourinho
José Mourinho
José Mourinho is one of the world's most famous soccer coaches. José Mário dos Santos Félix Mourinho was born in Setubal in 1963. Now the coach of Italian club Inter Milan, Mourinho has previously coached Benfica, Leiria, Porto in the Portuguese first division and English Premier League club, Chelsea.
Self-titled "The Special One", Mourinho's father was a professional soccer player and coach in Portugal.The young José followed in his father's foot steps but did not make the grade as a player and instead turned his attentions to becoming a coach. Mourinho's big break came in 1992 when he was appointed as the translator for the English manager Bobby Robson, who was in charge of Sporting Lisbon. Mourinho followed Robson to Porto and then on to Barcelona in Spain.
Mourinho first job as first team coach was a brief spell as Benfica in Lisbon before he left to manage Leiria, where he enjoyed success in his first season and left to take up the top join at Portuguese powerhouse Porto in 2002. The next season Porto were crowned Portuguese champions and again in 2004. Porto also won the UEFA Cup in 2003 and went on to win the Champions League Final against Monaco in May 2004.
Mourinho joined London club Chelsea later that year on an annual salary of over 4.2 GBP and went on to win the Premier League title in his first two seasons at the club, which had not won the league for 50 years.
Mourinho's assured tactical astuteness, inspired purchases in the transfer market and supreme man-management skills in the press office, dressing room and on the training field brought Chelsea unprecedented success and raised the club from previous under-achievers to present European powerhouse. Of course, the huge financial backing of Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich's money underwrote all the success the club achieved, but Mourinho was the man who converted the financial backing into silverware.
Mourinho soon became a media superstar in the English game and a favourite of the English popular press due to his often controversial comments, but a relatively poor start to the 2007 season and amid press reports of a bust-up with billionaire Russian chairman Roman Abramovich, Mourinho left the club by "mutual consent" in September 2007.
Mourinho has now begun a new challenge in Serie A with Milanese club Inter, replacing Roberto Mancini as coach and winning the Italian title in his first season.
Portuguese football
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