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19 March 2024

Mourinho to add 'Special' Chelsea flavour to Dubai confab

Jose Mourinho has been confirmed as one of the speakers for the Dubai International Sports Conference. (FILE)

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By Staff

Former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho, the self-style ‘Special One’ will bring something special to the 7th Dubai International Sports Conference to be held at the JW Marriott Marquis Hotel in Dubai on December 28-29.

Mourinho has been confirmed as one of the speakers at the two-day conference held every year under the patronage of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Sports Council.

The Portuguese coach who is currently with Spanish giants Real Madrid will be one of the high-profile speakers who have been confirmed for this year’s conference. Others who have already confirmed their presence include UEFA President Michel Platinit, FC Barcelona President Alexandre Rosell, Russia team coach Fabio Capello, players agent Jorge Mendes and Atletico Madrid’s Colombian striker Radamel Falcao.

Since 2006, the Dubai Sports Council has been organising this conference to attract high-profile decision makers and professionals from the local and international football community to discuss relevant matters related to professionalism in the sport. And besides meeting with the ‘who’s who’ of football, the two-day event is packed with valuable insights shared by a distinguished list of speakers and panelists.

Mourinho is scheduled to speak at the final session on the opening day on December 28 where he will attempt to share his experiences at successfully managing some of the biggest clubs in the world of football.

“This is a man of experience in the world of football management. He has taken coaching to a different level and many coaches who have worked under him are today successful in their careers due to what they have learnt from Jose Mourinho,” noted Mohammed Al Kamali, the Chairman of the Organising Committee for the conference.

Regarded by some players, coaches and critics as one of the best football coaches of all time, Mourinho started as a player with a career of more than seven years that started off with Rio Ave in 1980. He made a total of 94 appearances at various clubs scoring 13 goals.

After switching to management, Mourinho worked as a physical education teacher, as a youth team coach, a scout and as interpreter for Sir Bobby Robson at Sporting Lisbon and Porto in his native Portugal.

Mourinho next focused on coaching and started off at Benfica in 2000 followed by a successful stint at Porto in early 2002 where he won the Primeira Liga, Taca de Portugal, the UEFA Cup and the UEFA Champions League the following year earning himself the right to manage Chelsea FC.

His impact in the English Premier League was instant as Chelsea went on to win their first league title in 50 years and the League Cup as well. His success in England continued in his second year as Chelsea retained the premier league and the following year the FA Cup and League double. But he left Chelsea amid reports of a rift with owner Roman Abramovich.

Mourinho spent the next two years with Inter Milan where he began with the Supercoppa Italiana and completed the season with the Serie A title.

Under the guidance of Mourinho, Inter Milan became the first Italian club to win the treble of Serie A, Coppa Italia and the UEFA Champions League in 2009-10 while winning the first-ever FIFA Ballon d’Or Best Coach Award in 2010.

He then signed with Real Madrid where he has been successful in winning the Copa del Ray in his first season followed by the La Liga the following year making him the fourth coach to have won league titles in at least four different countries: Portugal, England, Italy, and Spain.