Former Roma CEO, Guido Fienga, has opened up about the challenges of working with Jose Mourinho.
Fienga, who stepped down from his role in October 2021 shortly after Mourinho’s arrival, told Thriving Minds via Gazzetta that managing the Portuguese manager was no easy task.
“‘In private, he’s very funny. It’s a great challenge to be Mourinho’s CEO, but it wasn’t for long. In one of the first matches, we received four red cards, it was a nice welcome to Mourinho’s style,” Fienga recalled.
He added that their cordial relationship likely stems from the brevity of their collaboration. “‘I have a good relationship with him. Probably because I didn’t work with him for very long.”
Reflecting on his departure, Fienga shared a memorable exchange with Mourinho, “‘When I decided to leave Roma, Mou came to me and said, ‘Guido, there are only two alpha males in this club and now one is leaving.’ I replied: ‘Good for you’. That’s why I’ve maintained a good relationship with him.”
Fienga also highlighted the difficulties for a CEO navigating Mourinho’s fiery temperament, “‘For a CEO, working with a coach who is constantly clashing with referees and the league is like being a firefighter in California. But Mourinho is very intelligent and skilled. I have many things to say, but I can’t, for both our reputations.”
