Former Roma CEO Guido Fienga has described José Mourinho as both intelligent and difficult to manage.
Fienga, who was at the helm when Roma appointed Mourinho in 2021, said working alongside him was a challenge.
“Three words to describe him? Super intelligent, skilled at his job, but I can’t say the third one,” Fienga told Thriving Minds with Alberto Zandi via Gazzetta.
He recalled early controversies under Mourinho, including four red cards in one of the team’s first matches, and revealed a light-hearted exchange when he left the club.
“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.’”
Fienga stepped down in October 2021, shortly after Mourinho’s arrival, later taking up roles at Al-Nassr before leaving in December 2024.