AS Roma coach Jose Mourinho during a friendly against Yokohama Marinos ain Tokyo on November 28, 2022. EPA
AS Roma coach Jose Mourinho during a friendly against Yokohama Marinos ain Tokyo on November 28, 2022. EPA
AS Roma coach Jose Mourinho during a friendly against Yokohama Marinos ain Tokyo on November 28, 2022. EPA
AS Roma coach Jose Mourinho during a friendly against Yokohama Marinos ain Tokyo on November 28, 2022. EPA

Jose Mourinho emerges as leading candidate to replace Fernando Santos as Portugal manager


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Jose Mourinho is being seen as a leading candidate to take over as Portugal manager after Fernando Santos quit following the team's World Cup quarter-final loss to Morocco.

The Portuguese football federation (FPF) said in a statement that an agreement was reached with the 68-year-old Santos "to end the journey of great success that began in September 2014".

"I'm leaving with the feeling of enormous gratitude," Santos said in a video posted on the federation's website.

"When you lead a group, you have to make some difficult decisions. It's normal that not everyone is happy with the choices I made."

Santos, who has been widely criticised for his tactics, became Portugal coach in 2014 and led the country in 109 matches. They won the European Championship in 2016 and Uefa's inaugural Nations League in 2018-19.

The FPF added that it "will now launch the process to choose the next national coach".

Fernando Santos after Portugal's World Cup quarter-final defeat to Morocco. AFP
Fernando Santos after Portugal's World Cup quarter-final defeat to Morocco. AFP

Sports newspaper Record claimed that Mourinho is the federation's top target to take over ahead of qualifying for Euro 2024, which gets under way in March.

Portuguese coaches Rui Jorge (under-21s), Abel Ferreira (Palmeiras), Paulo Fonseca (Lille), Rui Vitoria (Egypt) and Jorge Jesus (Fenerbahce) are also among the potential candidates, according to AFP citing local media.

Mourinho, 59, has yet to coach at international level but has an impressive record at some of Europe's heavyweight clubs. He has managed Porto, Chelsea twice, Inter Milan, Real Madrid and Manchester United.

Mourinho won three Premier League titles with Chelsea, two Serie A crowns at Inter and a Liga win at Real.

He also coached Porto to 2004 Champions League victory and repeated the feat with Inter Milan in 2010.

In May this year, he led Roma to the Europa Conference League title, the club's first ever major European trophy.

ENGLAND SQUAD

Goalkeepers: Jack Butland, Jordan Pickford, Nick Pope 
Defenders: John Stones, Harry Maguire, Phil Jones, Kyle Walker, Kieran Trippier, Gary Cahill, Ashley Young, Danny Rose, Trent Alexander-Arnold 
Midfielders: Eric Dier, Jordan Henderson, Dele Alli, Jesse Lingard, Raheem Sterling, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Fabian Delph 
Forwards: Harry Kane, Jamie Vardy, Marcus Rashford, Danny Welbeck

Pharaoh's curse

British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.

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Updated: December 16, 2022, 11:24 AM`