THE ARCHIVE
Managers
Special treatment | Special treatment |
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Once the natural incredulity at “the best coach in the world” being removed from office had passed, the Portuguese press and public shifted promptly to what really mattered: the dosh involved. Mourinho gets €24 million trumpeted sports daily A Bola. €26 million to keep quiet reckoned O Jogo. Filthy rich blared Record, trumping its rivals with €30m (£21m). Weekly magazine Sábado thought it had the right figure: “€25 million… less tax”. “Mourinho has shown that he’s number one on and off the field… even at getting compensation,” jested Benfica coach José António Camacho. Sábado had a graphic showing the rise and rise of Mourinho’s income over the years, starting in 1978 with the 500 escudos (€2.5) he would earn from writing reports on opponents for his dad, a goalkeeper with Vitória de Setúbal, and ending with the €7.5m a year he was being paid by Chelsea. The excitement at the prospect of all that lolly having subsided somewhat, the focus turned to where Mourinho would now be heading. His departure from Stamford Bridge coincided neatly with the fallout from national-team coach Luíz Felipe Scolari’s mean left hook to Serbia defender Ivica Dragutinovic during the 1-1 draw in the recent Euro 2008 qualifier. That incident and Portugal’s disappointing results in the group had pundits calling for Scolari’s blood and the transfusion of Mourinho’s. The FPF (Portuguese Football Federation) convened an “emergency” meeting, but only for almost a week later, possibly to see how the Mourinho situation would pan out. He has always said that he would be interested in the job towards the end of his career, but he soon quashed all speculation about any appointment at this time. “I don’t want to work in Portugal, neither at clubs nor with the Selecção,” he said. “Portugal are going to qualify with ease and have a great Euro… and they’re going to do it with Scolari, who’s done great things and will continue to do so.” The FPF had their meeting and backed Scolari in his appeal against UEFA’s four-match ban. From WSC 249 November 2007
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