I’m currently doing some writing for a couple of Football / World Cup sites & blogs. I’ll post links to the articles that I produce for anybody that is interested…

These are on the World Cup site – Rooney Injury | Fifa Rankings

This one’s on the Soccerphile site – Rooney Or Messi?

And this one will be going on imminently…

Mourinho Gets All Flirty

Never one to keep his thoughts to himself, Inter Milan boss, Jose Mourinho, has dropped the biggest hint yet that he’s angling to leave Italy post haste. A summer return to the Premiership could be on.

On the eve of Inter’s Champions League quarter final first leg against CSKA Moscow Mourinho admitted he is not enjoying life in Italy but stopped short of fluttering his eyelashes at the camera and European football’s potential suitors. There will be a few Sheiks, Americans and Russians calculating the cost of ditching their current manager to pave the way for the return of The Special One.

José Mário dos Santos Félix Mourinho is a complex man of contradictions and intrigue; he summed this up perfectly last night, stating “My situation is clear. I am very happy at Inter, I am not happy in Italian football”. So there we have it, happy and unhappy at the same time.

Obviously he cannot say he’s unhappy at Inter, their fanatical Ultras would have him strung up by his coglioni; he’ll say all that after he leaves. He can complain about the Italian media though, and has done pretty much from day one. He dislikes them but they love him – he’s pure box office, never afraid to speak his mind and not concerned about upsetting anybody, be it his employers, players, officials, fellow managers, fans. The parallels with a certain Old Big ‘Ead are obvious.

He finished his interview with a typically Mourinho response to being pressed about the reasons for his unhappiness – “Because I don’t like it, because they don’t like me. Simple”. And with that he was gone. The press do like him though – he writes the headlines for them, he’s a near constant source of good material. Italy will miss him when he’s gone, just as English football has.

Mourinho is a Portugese man of war – wherever he lays his hat controversy follows. From accusing referees of collusion with opposing managers, to tapping up players, to obstructing police and breaking pet quarantine laws, Mourinho is never far from the headlines. But he’s a first class manager with a CV few can match. So who would have him? Or more to the point, who would Jose choose?

The rumblings are that Roberto Mancini is definitely a short term fix at Manchester City and that Mourinho is in their sights as the man to succeed him as he did at Inter in 2008. The environment at Middle Eastlands is similar to that of Chelsea in Roman Abramovich’s early tenure; Mourinho is used to that kind of set up and pressure and would be a good fit. But remember it went very sour at Stamford Bridge after fall outs with the owner – they parted by mutual consent even though Mourinho left having won six trophies in three years and, amazingly, never lost a home match during his reign.

Liverpool is another potential destination but can they afford to ditch Rafa Benitez at the moment? Mourinho would probably jump at the chance of rebuilding an ailing Liverpool team but Rafa is dug in well at Anfield. And do they have the finances that Mourinho would demand to build a team in his own image?

It seems like Chelsea will be sticking with Carlo Ancelotti for the foreseeable future, particularly if he brings the title back to the Bridge this season, so an emotional return to his first English love won’t happen. If Manchester United were to regain the Champions League this year Sir Alex Ferguson might decide the time is right to desert the Glazer maelstrom and the timing could be perfect for Jose. That is certainly the most interesting of all possibilities and Mourinho is on record declaring his interest.

Away from England there are only a couple of places he would realistically consider – the two Spanish giants of Real Madrid and Barcelona. Either is a distinct possibility but it seems that deep down Mourinho thinks he has unfinished business in England. He wants to return and we’d be happy to have him back. The possibility moved a step closer with these latest inflammatory comments.