Dismissed Mourinho leaves Manchester Sh3.2 billion richer
What you need to know:
- He once said fired managers are far much richer than successful ones.
As a football coach with a successful career at the dugout spanning two-decades, egocentric Jose Felix Mourinho will be covering his head in shame following Tuesday’s dismissal by Manchester United, a development occasioned by the club's poor performance.
But as a businessman, husband and father of London University graduate Matilde, 22, and Jose Junior, the Portuguese manager may have no reason to be downcast.
Reports in the English media indicated that his dismissal is expected to be accompanied by a £24 million (about Sh3.2 billion) compensation.
Incidentally, the 55-year-old was fired barely three days after former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand told the Nation in Nairobi that change was required at the club.
"The situation at Manchester United is not good. Confidence is low and our league position is not great. Something needs to happen and we need changes," Ferdinand said.
Mourinho leaves United ranked a lowly (by the club's standards) sixth on the 20-team English Premier League standings, with 26-points from 17-matches, 19-points off table toppers Liverpool and with little chance of contesting the title this season.
And in a statement that further highlights the gulf in class between how sports in Kenya and Europe is perceived, Mourinho who previously managed fading Kenyan star MacDonald Mariga at Inter Milan alongside enjoying other stints at Portugal's FC Porto, Chelsea (in England) on two separate occasions and Real Madrid, is estimated to be valued Sh8 billion by Celebrity Net Worth magazine.
He has won eight league titles in Spain, England, Italy and Portugal, alongside two UEFA Champions League trophies.
Even as Sports CS Rashid Echesa, his PS Kirimi Kaberia and FKF boss Nick Mwendwa struggle to pay Harambee Stars coach Sebastien Migne's Sh1.6 million monthly salary, Mourinho will be walking away with billions for failing to do his job properly.
The manager's agent Jorge Mendes inserted a clause in his three-year contract signed last year, stating either party will pay the other an equivalent of the remainder of the contract upon termination. Mourinho is paid £346,000 by Manchester United every week. This tabulates to about Sh40 million every seven days.
Contrast this to the Sh10 million budget Kenyan champions Gor Mahia and FKF SportPesa Shield champions Kariobangi Sharks have forwarded to the government which will enable them honour their continental assignments in Nigeria and Ghana this weekend respectively.
In essence, the coach's five-month salary is enough to clear the Sh800 million construction works at Nyayo, Kinoru and Kipchoge Keino stadiums, which have stalled for two years.
What's more, Mourinho has accrued a Sh70 million bill, payable by his former employer, after opting to stay at a five-star hotel for the two and a half years he was at the club.
Just on Tuesday, officials of Ghanaian club Asante Kotoko admitted that its players left a four-star hotel with property belonging to the business. The property includes face towels!
Mourinho is said to be receiving close to Sh800 million in instalments from Real Madrid and Chelsea following his earlier dismissals, lending credence to his own suggestion that sacked coaches are far richer than successful ones who honour the entirety of their contracts.
