January 18th 2024.
Earlier this week, Roma made the decision to part ways with their manager, Jose Mourinho. This news was met with mixed reactions, including one from Roma player Chris Smalling. Smalling took the opportunity to address claims that he was hesitant to play through injuries and took a swipe at his former manager in the process.
Mourinho, who is 60 years old, was let go by the team due to a string of poor results that have left Roma in a disappointing mid-table position. Smalling and Mourinho have a history together, having spent several years at Manchester United. During that time, Mourinho had questioned Smalling's durability as a player.
However, when the two were reunited at Roma, they initially found success together. Unfortunately, Smalling suffered a knee injury that has kept him out of action for the past four and a half months. This led Mourinho to make comments implying that Smalling was holding back and that there are people with a higher pain threshold than him.
Following Mourinho's dismissal, Smalling took to Instagram to set the record straight. He clarified that he never wanted to leave Roma, the club that helped him revive his career after a difficult end to his time at Manchester United. Smalling also addressed his injury and the setbacks he has faced, stating that he always puts the needs of his teammates first and that his priority is to recover fully and be able to contribute to the team in the future.
He also made it clear that the treatment plan for his injury was decided by medical specialists and any insinuations that he dictated it are false. Despite surgery not being an option, Smalling trusts the experts guiding his recovery plan, which includes the use of painkillers.
Meanwhile, Roma have already found a replacement for Mourinho in club legend Daniele De Rossi. De Rossi expressed his gratitude to the club's owners for entrusting him with the role of head coach and stated that he is dedicated to facing the challenges ahead. He also emphasized the importance of being competitive and fighting for the team's goals.
In other news, there have been speculations about Mourinho's next move after his departure from Roma. Chelsea legend Frank Lebouef believes that Mourinho may be eyeing a job in the Saudi Pro League, while former Manchester United player Peter Schmeichel praised Marcus Rashford for speaking out against Ajax manager Erik ten Hag during their recent match. Real Madrid is also reportedly open to selling a forward to Manchester United in order to fund a move for Kylian Mbappe, and Tim Sherwood accused a United player of "pretending to press" during their recent draw against Tottenham Hotspur.
De Rossi and his staff are focused on the tasks ahead and are determined to achieve their goals for the rest of the season. They are fully committed to the club and are willing to make sacrifices in order to bring success to Roma. The team has no time to waste and they are ready to face any challenges that come their way.
[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]
[Generative AI is experimental.]
