Fabio Capello, the legendary Italian manager who knows a thing or two about the footabll culture in Serie A, has a word of caution for Jose Mourinho who will take charge of AS Roma from the 2021-22 season.
“Rome burns everyone. It is the most beautiful city in the world, but also a place where it is extremely difficult to work in football,” he told Gazzetta dello Sport.
Roma announced the surprise appointment of Mourinho on Tuesday, little over two weeks after he was sacked by English Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur.
The Portuguese will take over from the 2021/22 season on a three-year deal, marking a return to Italy, where he won a Serie A, Coppa Italia and Champions League treble with Inter Milan in 2009/10.
But Capello, who led Roma to their last Scudetto in 2000-01, said Mourinho will not be in for an easy ride. “There is not a lot of patience, contrary to popular belief. The reason for a defeat is often not evaluated.
“The key to everything is having a solid staff and creating a group of players who are behind the coach. A united group against everyone and everything. That is what I did.
“Then, obviously, the club is fundamental: the coach must always be supported and they must prevent anyone from taking advantage of difficulties behind the scenes to stoke dissent.” Mourinho’s stock has fallen in recent years after sackings by Chelsea, Manchester United and Spurs, but Capello rejected the notion that the 58-year-old is no longer the same coach he was at Inter.
“It is (a) very impressive appointment that has immediately sparked enthusiasm in Rome,” he said.
“There are no more excuses. Roma have a coach, a number one, a professional who has won and has experience.
“You need to look at the results and you can’t hide from three sackings, but he is a man of enormous intelligence and I am convinced that his desire to be a protagonist again will be decisive.”
