SERIE A
Mourinho suits Serie A and will succeed at Roma, says ex-Inter star
Jose Mourinho's career has largely been in decline since his previous Serie A stint ended 11 years ago, but he been backed to succeed.
Jose Mourinho is a good fit in Serie A and could be the man to take Roma back to the top, according to former Inter midfielder Ciriaco Sforza.
Mourinho was this week appointed as Roma's head coach for next season, replacing Paulo Fonseca.
It is a return to Italy for a coach who celebrated the treble with Inter in 2009-10 before departing, having also won the league in the previous campaign.
Mourinho won 62.0 per cent of his 108 games in charge of the Nerazzurri, yet standards have since slipped.
The Portuguese lasted only 86 matches at Tottenham, winning a disappointing 51.2 per cent, before his dismissal last month.
But Sforza, who reached the 1997 UEFA Cup final with Inter, believes both Mourinho and Italian football can benefit from their reunion.
For Roma, who are without a Scudetto in 20 years and have not claimed a major trophy since 2008, the appointment might herald a long-awaited era of success.
"Mourinho is Mourinho. He will always remain the 'Special One'," Sforza told Stats Perform.
"You can't turn down an offer by AS Roma, and Italy is also a country where he has won everything. I also think that Mourinho fits in well in Italy mentality-wise.
"Roma is a team with a big tradition and they will build a new stadium. They have fantastic fans, so that fits.
"I also wish him the best of luck because he carries football in his heart. He always wants to win, he has this mentality. And this is great for Serie A.
"Italy needs people like this, Italy needs talent, which they have in the national team but they also need it in the teams.
"When you look at Roma, they always have big talents that don't progress. I think they will be able to progress now with Mourinho."
The Giallorossi have 27 points to make up to Inter, however, with Mourinho's former club confirmed as Serie A champions on Sunday.
It was Inter's first title since Mourinho's treble triumph, but Antonio Conte's record at San Siro is marginally even more impressive than that of his old rival.
Conte has won 62.2 per cent of his 98 games in charge, putting an end to Juventus' run of nine straight Scudetti.
Asked if he had anticipated this success, Sforza said: "To be honest, no. I know what it is like at Inter at the moment, there is a little bit of turmoil.
"But Conte and his coaching staff have managed to bring in this discipline, this hunger and winning mentality. He did that with brilliance.
"He followed his line and not the line of journalists and that brought him the success.
"I think they can establish themselves there, because they have a great manager, who knows what he wants and what he is capable of.
"I think through the support of the fans, the 'tifosi', and I think there will be support arriving in summer, they will do well and fight for the title again."