Portuguese Football Association is considering an approach for Jose Mourinho to take over the national team, if the current boss Fernando Santos did not continue with the job.
The Portuguese FA it was claimed by reports in Italy would allow him to combine his role at Roma with his job at the national team. The next major tournament on the international stage will be Euro 2024 in 18 months’ time, with the qualifiers beginning in March.
Mourinho at one time has hinted on his intention of coaching a national team. He is the country’s most successful ever manager, having won eight league titles, two Champions Leagues, the Europa League and the Europa Conference League.
Former Portuguese international Maniche, who played under Mourinho at Porto, certainly believes his old boss is the perfect man to take over. He hailed Mourinho’s experience and his track record of success as he called for him to replace Santos.
“José Mourinho makes perfect sense for the position, for everything he has already conquered and has been conquering. He has already been to the best clubs in the world, he has won titles in all of them and he lacks the national team,” Maniche told Radio Renascença.
“He is an experienced coach who is very prepared for difficulties because he knows our football and football abroad, he is intelligent and knows how to deal with young people. I think he would gather consensus to be a selector.”
Portugal have not won any major title since the Euro 2016 success under Santos. In Euro 2020 they exited in the quarter-final. In 2018 they exited at the quarter-final and in Qatar 2022, Morocco also dismissed them at the same stage.
