The once self proclaimed ‘special one’ has just been let go from another big management job in the Premier League, as Tottenham Hotspur simply couldn’t fit to Mourinho’s mannerisms and thus the unlikely match-up of Jose and Spurs wasn’t to be. Despite having a fairly average run at Tottenham, he did lead the side to the Carabao Cup final which they have subsequently lost with Mason leading the side, however generally speaking it has been a disappointing time of things for everyone involved since the surprise arrival of Jose at the club. Despite being a Chelsea legend, Mourinho shocked many when taking on the Spurs job, who had just lost a fan favourite in Poch. This move was a shocking contrast, from a manager that everyone loved and had recent success of the Champions League run, to a manager who despite his great legacy has had big issues in recent times in terms of developing fan relationships and even building bonds within a club during his time at Manchester United. Obviously, Levy brought him in as a desperate attempt to end the trophy drought, however with a club like Tottenham, who has a fairly stingy owner with the finances and a strong bond of players who had played and acted like a family unit, to throw Mourinho into that was a time-bomb waiting to explode.

The dismissal hasn’t shocked anyone by any means, however it perhaps came at a surprising time just a week prior to the cup final. What is left however, is questions, questions surrounding the future of Tottenham and their key men like Kane and Bale, and even bigger questions of Mourinho himself. Where will he go next? Is he finished at the top level? Will he ever manage in this country again? All these things are left unanswered, and because of this, I decided to put together my top 3 suggestions of where Jose Mourinho may pop up to manage again in the near future. These 3 predictions are all things that have been hinted at, or speculated on previously, however I genuinely think it makes sense for the clubs themselves and also Mourinho, who needs a bit of time out of the spotlight of the Premier League to rebuild his legacy, and could do with perhaps a bit of an easier challenge in domestic terms to pick up a few trophies. So, without further ado, let’s get going with our suggestions, and if you have any of your own, please let us know over on Twitter (@NextGoalWinBlog) and carry on the debate and discussion of the ‘Special One?’

Porto

First up, is arguably where it makes most sense for Mourinho to take some time recuperating and recovering what has been a great career, Porto, the club which took Mourinho from being seen as Bobby Robson’s assistant to a magnificent manager in his own right. I will preface my explanation for why I think he should return to Porto by stating that of course they gave a manager currently in Sérgio Conceição who has had some great European success this season in knocking out Juventus in this seasons Champions League and claiming the Primeira Liga title last season. However, despite this, the current campaign looks to have lost the title to rivals Sporting, and thus after around 4 years, they may be seeking change at the club.

What they would get in Mourinho is simply the feeling of being able to push on in Europe and become a serious challenger again. This season showed how spirited and resolute Porto can be in Europe, however history shows that Mourinho has the ability to push a side further and of course he had his amazing success in the early 2000s. Now, by no means do I expect Mourinho to bring domestic success on a consistent basis and certainly the ability to challenge and push he side to expect knockout success in the Champions League.

For Mourinho himself, I think moving back to Portugal could be the perfect way to rebuild his reputation, and although he will be judged on his previous success at the club, he is a legend of the club from his previous spell and can maintain the desire and competitive nature from top European football, however it allows him to step away from England for a while where he has been burning bridges and damaging his reputation from fans and players alike with personality clashes, on-field failures and boardroom anger.

Celtic

This option is possibly my favourite of everything I’ve seen talked about with Mourinho for so many reasons. Firstly, I think it works so well for Jose, as he will be in the media spotlight, but not the centre of attention every minute of his time meaning he can focus on the team and not his own ego. Secondly, I think the league is set up to provide enough of a challenge to make it the right fit, however the ability to win trophies instantly and dominate the league means he can have the success with trophies that as a manager he has become accustomed to. One of his main points of the spell at United was in his “treble” season in which he used the Charity Shield to claim a treble, highlighting the desire for people to label him a serial trophy winner. Celtic are a serial trophy winning club, meaning with Mourinho at the helm, its almost guaranteed success.

On a personal level, I want this to happen so much, as I think it would be so entertaining and could elevate the Scottish League to new heights. Should Mourinho arrive at Celtic, he could create an instant rivalry with Gerrard at Rangers, who between them have a little bit of history anyway. Meanwhile, seeing Jose in the dugouts at the likes of Dundee United, Motherwell and Hibernian would turn these fixtures into must-see entertainment. Finally, Mourinho has been quoted in the recent documentary at Spurs as wanting to see his side show fighting spirit, battle for everything and be bastards in their dogged determination, and this plays perfectly into the Scottish Premiership wheelhouse. Even if just for a season or two, I want this to happen.

Obviously, the Scottish league itself is not the financial powerhouse of the Premier League, and thus the recent issues of not bringing in the right players may be an issue financially at Celtic, however if Mourinho is able to scale down his expectations from the board in terms of transfers and finances then this could be a perfect match. Honestly, the current Celtic side might need a few additions, but the squad is still at a level that could win the league with ease under the right management, which Mourinho could certainly bring.

Portugal

The final move is one that Mourinho himself has spoken about before, stating how he would love to manage an international side and experience a World Cup or Euro’s tournament from the dugout. With the delayed Euro’s on the horizon, it might be a perfect time to get involved and lead this current Portugal side, and of course the reigning Euro’s holders, into the tournament this summer.

Of course I need to acknowledge that Portugal currently have a solid manager in the form of Fernando Santos who has been at the helm for the past 6/7 years, however that could indicate that they are on the verge of looking for a successor to the 66 year old who has had such success at the 2016 Euros and 2019 Nations League. Consequently, Mourinho may just nip in and be ready to take the side into this summers tournament and allow Santos to take a back seat role or pass the torch entirely to Jose.

I think Mourinho would be able to continue the success in recent years of the Portugal side who are packed with talent. From of course Cristiano Ronaldo to the likes of Fernandes, Joao Felix and Jota, they are a stacked attacking side with an incredible amount of talent in most positions. Therefore, simply picking 11 of these immense talents will bring some level of success, while the experience and tactical prowess of Mourinho could lead to a double Euro’s trophy win this summer and a strong challenge in the 2022 World Cup.

Overall, I like this idea for Mourinho, as he would be able to tick off what is a bit of a bucket list job for most managers, while also being able to take the side into two tournaments in just 2 years with expectations of success and a great pool of talent to bring with him into the tournament. Obviously, post 2022 World Cup, we may be seeing the end of Ronaldo’s international career, and thus with him determined to lead Portugal to World Cup success, and Mourinho on the touchline, it would be an immense proposition to take on.