Ex‑Roma CEO Guido Fienga recalls brief, volatile spell working with Jose Mourinho

Guido Fienga, the former chief executive officer of AS Roma, has offered a revealing account of his short working relationship with Jose Mourinho, describing the Portuguese coach as "super intelligent" and "very funny" in private while acknowledging challenges in their brief time together.

Fienga, who spent almost three years as Roma's CEO and was in post when Mourinho was appointed in 2021, told Thriving Minds via Gazzetta that the pair worked together for only four months. He said the experience was a "great challenge" and recounted a chaotic early fixture in which Roma received four red cards, framing it as a fitting introduction to Mourinho's style.

"Three words to describe him? Super intelligent, skilled at his job, but I can't say the third one," Fienga said, adding that Mourinho is "very funny" away from the public eye. He said the short duration of their working relationship probably helped preserve a good personal rapport: "I have a good relationship with him. Probably because I didn't work with him for very long."

Fienga also alluded to a "strange" message he received from Mourinho when the manager left the club, without disclosing the exact contents. The remark was highlighted by Fienga and has drawn attention given Mourinho's profile and history managing high‑profile clubs across Europe.

The comments offer a rare glimpse into the dynamics between a club executive and one of football's most prominent managers. Fienga's reflections emphasize both Mourinho's tactical acumen and his capacity to create intense, sometimes volatile match environments. The four red cards in an early game under Mourinho underline the disciplinary volatility that can accompany his teams, a trait noted by observers during multiple periods of Mourinho's career.

Fienga was part of Roma's senior management during a period of managerial turnover and sporting transitions. His remarks come as part of a wider conversation about the demands placed on club executives who must balance long‑term institutional strategy with the immediate pressures of top‑level coaching personalities. In describing Mourinho as "a great challenge to be Mourinho's CEO," Fienga framed the role as one that requires both adaptability and acceptance of occasional turmoil on the pitch.

Mourinho's tenure at clubs has frequently drawn intense scrutiny for its results, media presence and dressing‑room management. Former players, colleagues and officials have variously described him as a tactical innovator, a demanding figure and a highly pragmatic competitor. Fienga's comments align with that pattern, pairing admiration for Mourinho's intelligence and professional skill with recognition of the strain his methods can create.

Fienga did not elaborate on his own departure timeline in the interview excerpt, nor did he provide further detail about the message Mourinho sent when he left. The exchange nevertheless adds to the public record of how club executives experience the managerial personalities that come through elite football, and it underscores the often private, personal layer of communication that persists behind headline narratives.

As Roma and other clubs continue to navigate managerial hires and executive oversight, accounts like Fienga's help illuminate the practical and interpersonal challenges inherent in running a major football club. They also remind observers that public perception of coaches and executives can differ from the private interactions that shape day‑to‑day club life.