A few hours after Italian giants, AS Roma, announced the sacking of Jose Peseiro, several Nigerians took to social media to call on the Nigeria Football Federation to sign the Portuguese gaffer for the country’s senior men’s national team, The PUNCH reports.
Mourinho was sacked by the Serie A side after nearly three years in charge at the Stadio Olimpico.
The 60-year-old took on the role in May 2021, less than one month after being dismissed from his role at Tottenham Hotspur, and went on to lead his side to the Europa Conference League title in 2022 and the Europa League final in 2023.
However, sitting five points off the Champions League qualifying spots in the Serie A this season proved enough for the club to part ways with the ‘Special One’.
Mourinho’s contract at Roma had been due to expire at the end of the current campaign and was reported to have asked for a new deal. With Roma terminating the contract before its expiration, it means the Giallorossi will pay the former Chelsea manager the sum of £3m.
The Portuguese, who had been sacked five times before his latest dismissal, is believed to have earned around £80m just from being laid off by clubs in his career.
Chelsea have paid him more than £26m alone, with Mourinho having pocketed £18m when he was sacked at Stamford Bridge in 2007 and £8.3m following his second dismissal in 2015.
He was also given a £17m pay-off by Real Madrid and nearly £20m by Manchester United when he was sacked in December 2018 — just months after he had signed a new two-year contract through to 2020.
An ill-fated 17-month stint at Tottenham also ended with a dismissal and a healthy £15m in compensation. He had another two years to run on his deal at Spurs when he was shown the door.
Despite the staggering figures attracted by the ‘Special One’, some Nigeria football faithful are calling on the Ibrahim Gusua-led NFF board to hire the Portuguese.
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