Jose Mourinho will manage AS Roma for the next three seasons, with the club preparing to present their new coach in some style. I believe it's a backward step in his career.
The thought of the Portuguese managing Roma would have been bizarre a few years ago, but after being sacked by Tottenham, it appears the club from the Italian capital was the best option for a quick return to work.
Despite his remarkable career, in the last five years Mourinho has won zero titles at Tottenham, seen a lacklustre departure from Manchester United, and a similar falling out with Chelsea in his second spell at Stamford Bridge.
Intriguing, then, that he took the Roma opportunity only 10 days after leaving Tottenham. The club had not even secured European football at that stage, with a place in the European Conference League, the newest and weakest of Uefa's club tournaments, coming right at the end of the season.
Was Mourinho afraid of not being hired by a better club? In my opinion, yes.
Some commentators say that the move is not a step back, but to the side. They compare Tottenham with Roma at a similar level. Not me. Roma are a few rungs below.
Apart from Spurs being in a far more competitive competition in the Premier League, according to the website transfermarkt.com the team has a value of $810 million. Roma's is worth is $450m.
Tottenham have Harry Kane, Son Heung-min, Giovani Lo Celso, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg in their talented line-up, while Roma have recently emerged Nicolo Zaniolo, established Lorenzo Pellegrini and the top defenders Gianluca Mancini and Marash Kumbulla.
The power of the two squads is not comparable.
Also, Roma were in the Champions League for the last time in 2019, being
eliminated in the round of 16 by Porto. In the same edition of the competition, Tottenham were runners-up to Liverpool.
For Roma, hiring Mourinho is, as the club maintained, “un grande passo in avanti“ (a big step forward). I understand the clubs words. Mourinho has more titles than the club. He has amassed 25 trophies, while Roma, founded almost 94 years ago, have 15.
From the Italians' point of view, I think the right decision was made, although with risks. Roma are a powder keg these days - but without the powder.
Mourinho brings the powder that Roma require. The club needs a strong personality, a man capable of capturing global attention and motivating disbelieving and detached supporters.
Mourinho is perfect for that purpose. He will be able to play the underdog again, as he has in the past. Nobody gave Porto a chance in the 2004 Champions League, and they won. Similarly with European kings Inter in 2010.
Although Mourinho didn't expect this opportunity, history repeats itself and it will again be a great challenge. He certainly did not expect to return to this point at this stage of his career. But let's be clear: he had no option.
At his last clubs, Mourinho did not show that aura of the 'Special One' that used to characterize him. He was unable to establish a lasting emotional connection with players. Instead, he started personal battles with the likes of Paul Pogba, Luke Shaw, Gareth Bale or Dele Alli.
For Mourinho, this step back was inevitable. In Roma, he has a project like Porto in 2004.
There may not be a concrete reason to explain his decline, but sporting, generational and mental circumstances have seen him lose his superpowers.
Let's wait for what he's going to do in Rome.
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PREMIER LEAGUE RESULTS
Bournemouth 1 Manchester City 2
Watford 0 Brighton and Hove Albion 0
Newcastle United 3 West Ham United 0
Huddersfield Town 0 Southampton 0
Crystal Palace 0 Swansea City 2
Manchester United 2 Leicester City 0
West Bromwich Albion 1 Stoke City 1
Chelsea 2 Everton 0
Tottenham Hotspur 1 Burnley 1
Liverpool 4 Arsenal 0
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
ABU DHABI ORDER OF PLAY
Starting at 10am:
Daria Kasatkina v Qiang Wang
Veronika Kudermetova v Annet Kontaveit (10)
Maria Sakkari (9) v Anastasia Potapova
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova v Ons Jabeur (15)
Donna Vekic (16) v Bernarda Pera
Ekaterina Alexandrova v Zarina Diyas
Sanju
Produced: Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Rajkumar Hirani
Director: Rajkumar Hirani
Cast: Ranbir Kapoor, Vicky Kaushal, Paresh Rawal, Anushka Sharma, Manish’s Koirala, Dia Mirza, Sonam Kapoor, Jim Sarbh, Boman Irani
Rating: 3.5 stars
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How to come clean about financial infidelity
- Be honest and transparent: It is always better to own up than be found out. Tell your partner everything they want to know. Show remorse. Inform them of the extent of the situation so they know what they are dealing with.
- Work on yourself: Be honest with yourself and your partner and figure out why you did it. Don’t be ashamed to ask for professional help.
- Give it time: Like any breach of trust, it requires time to rebuild. So be consistent, communicate often and be patient with your partner and yourself.
- Discuss your financial situation regularly: Ensure your spouse is involved in financial matters and decisions. Your ability to consistently follow through with what you say you are going to do when it comes to money can make all the difference in your partner’s willingness to trust you again.
- Work on a plan to resolve the problem together: If there is a lot of debt, for example, create a budget and financial plan together and ensure your partner is fully informed, involved and supported.
Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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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Disability on screen
Empire — neuromuscular disease myasthenia gravis; bipolar disorder; post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Rosewood and Transparent — heart issues
24: Legacy — PTSD;
Superstore and NCIS: New Orleans — wheelchair-bound
Taken and This Is Us — cancer
Trial & Error — cognitive disorder prosopagnosia (facial blindness and dyslexia)
Grey’s Anatomy — prosthetic leg
Scorpion — obsessive compulsive disorder and anxiety
Switched at Birth — deafness
One Mississippi, Wentworth and Transparent — double mastectomy
Dragons — double amputee
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
In The Heights
Directed by: Jon M. Chu
Stars: Anthony Ramos, Lin-Manual Miranda
Rating: ****
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How Islam's view of posthumous transplant surgery changed
Transplants from the deceased have been carried out in hospitals across the globe for decades, but in some countries in the Middle East, including the UAE, the practise was banned until relatively recently.
Opinion has been divided as to whether organ donations from a deceased person is permissible in Islam.
The body is viewed as sacred, during and after death, thus prohibiting cremation and tattoos.
One school of thought viewed the removal of organs after death as equally impermissible.
That view has largely changed, and among scholars and indeed many in society, to be seen as permissible to save another life.
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The low down on MPS
What is myofascial pain syndrome?
Myofascial pain syndrome refers to pain and inflammation in the body’s soft tissue. MPS is a chronic condition that affects the fascia (connective tissue that covers the muscles, which develops knots, also known as trigger points).
What are trigger points?
Trigger points are irritable knots in the soft tissue that covers muscle tissue. Through injury or overuse, muscle fibres contract as a reactive and protective measure, creating tension in the form of hard and, palpable nodules. Overuse and sustained posture are the main culprits in developing trigger points.
What is myofascial or trigger-point release?
Releasing these nodules requires a hands-on technique that involves applying gentle sustained pressure to release muscular shortness and tightness. This eliminates restrictions in connective tissue in orderto restore motion and alleviate pain. Therapy balls have proven effective at causing enough commotion in the tissue, prompting the release of these hard knots.