Jose Mourinho: A return to Chelsea a reality?
Jose Mourinho or ‘The Special One’ is considered by many to be the best manager in the world, maybe even in ‘the top one’. His record success at Chelsea, accruing a first Premier League win in 50 years and six trophies, earned him the adoration of many fans across the globe.
Disappointingly for many, he left Chelsea for Inter Milan in 2008 where he achieved a Champions League victory and two Serie A titles. His stint at Inter only lasted for two seasons as he subsequently left for Real Madrid in 2010. At his 6th club, Mourinho has enjoyed less success than expected, currently being 5 points adrift of Barcelona. This prompts the question: will Mourinho return to the club that gave him the best managerial record so far in his career?
Since his departure from Chelsea, speculation about his return to the club has been rife, if not a little unrealistic – the main reason for this can be attributed to the ‘Mourinho legacy’. Subsequent managers of Chelsea have not even come close to achieving the success that Mourinho brought.
His accomplishments have made it very hard for following managers to emerge from the shadow of the man who gave Chelsea so much glory. As a result, the turnover of managers saw the departure of Avram Grant, Luiz Felipe Scolari and Guus Hiddink in the space of two years. Now, with Carlo Ancelotti’s job under threat, many feel that Chelsea may be in search of a new manager at the end of the season.
Mourinho himself has done much to fuel the speculation over the years and constantly reignites the debate. Mourinho has admitted that he hopes to return to Chelsea, as he has unfinished business. When questioned back in 2009 about the possible return to the blues, Mourinho replied “yes, I think so”. Mourinho also confirmed what many fans thought during his time in London, as the former manager declared that Chelsea was “a special club for me”. These comments lead many to believe that a return to Chelsea is somewhere at the back of Mourinho’s mind.
Whether this fantasy turns into a reality will, I think, depend on his achievements with current club Real Madrid. The likelihood of Mourinho winning any silverware this season is slim. Nevertheless, Mourinho’s philosophy of “my teams usually do better in the second season” will mean that another season at Madrid is highly likely, even if success this season is limited.
Should Mourinho not achieve his aims with Madrid after two seasons, I would venture to suggest that a departure from the club is feasible. Mourinho’s desire for glory may cause him to look towards Chelsea, a club that has already proven it has the resources available for Mourinho to do great things with.
