Jose Mourinho is expected to replace Louis van Gaal as Manchester United boss this week, but here are 10 reasons why the Old Trafford outfit might want to reconsider.
1. TACTICALLY OUTDATED
Ever since taking over Real Madrid in 2010, Mourinho has not evolved in a strategic sense. While his favoured 4-2-3-1 system is still popular in the Premier League, none of Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus or Atletico Madrid use it. Mourinho’s philosophy of a rigid formation protected by a flat back four and double midfield pivot has become predictable and overly pragmatic.
2. ANTI-FOOTBALL, NOT ATTACKING FOOTBALL
One of the principle reasons for sacking Van Gaal is his sterile brand of possession football. It is farcical, then, that in a bid to bring the buzz back to Old Trafford, United have now turned to a coach renowned for a defence-orientated, counterattacking game. Against top opposition, Mourinho's teams nearly always set out to destroy rather than create. Hardly 'the Manchester United way'.
3. HOMEGROWN HATER
Jose Mourinho's record of bringing young players through the ranks – or lack of one – is infamous. Would the likes of Jesse Lingard, Cameron Borthwick-Jackson, Marcus Rashford or Timothy Fosu-Mensah have broken into the first team under Mourinho? No chance.
4. COMPLETE STYLE CHANGE
Antonio Conte and Pep Guardiola are coaches who have been hired to develop the existing styles and tactics already deployed at Chelsea and Manchester City. Mourinho's tactics are nothing like what Louis van Gaal has been playing at Man Utd, so the team will have to start again from scratch.
5. NO CLASS, NO DIPLOMACY
Whatever one's views on Manchester United's supposed moral high ground, it is easy to understand why club legend Bobby Charlton was against appointing Mourinho as Alex Ferguson's successor. He's eye-gouged a fellow coach, played a direct role in the retirement of a referee and, most recently, made a female team doctor's position completely untenable. Charlton said that while Ferguson respected Mourinho, "he doesn't like him too much". Few do.
6. RELATIONSHIP WITH JORGE MENDES
The most powerful agent in the world, Mendes is so close to Mourinho that he reportedly had his own office at Real Madrid during his friend’s reign. This has led to many of Mendes’ players moving to Mourinho clubs, but will this be healthy for Man Utd? The laughable loan signing of Mendes client Radamel Falcao for Chelsea last summer illustrates the risks of such a relationship.
7. SHORT-TERM BLINKERS
Instant success is everything Mourinho stands for and why he's being hired, but that's not what Fergie saw as the Manchester United way. Any talk of the club developing a dynasty will be torpedoed and all that will matter is the next result, the next win, the next trophy.
8. MAN UTD BOARDROOM BATTLE
Transfer chief Ed Woodward is believed to be the architect of Mourinho's impending arrival at Old Trafford but few others at boardroom level are convinced the Portuguese should be hired, including Ferguson. If Mourinho flops, the pressure to turn form around will mount rapidly.
9. POOR PEP RECORD
One of the biggest challenges for Man Utd next season will be competing with Manchester City and Guardiola. Although he's had the occasional success, the 2010 Champions League most memorably, his record vs Pep's Barcelona while at Real Madrid was noticeably inferior.
10. MIXED TRANSFER RECORD
Over £300 million has been thrown away on transfers like Marouane Fellaini, Memphis Depay and Angel Di Maria since Ferguson retired in 2013. Meanwhile, Mourinho's transfer record is littered with expensive flops like Ricardo Quaresma, Amantino Mancini and Nuri Sahin, as well as terrible sales like Kevin De Bruyne, Mohamed Salah and Arjen Robben.
1. TACTICALLY OUTDATED
Ever since taking over Real Madrid in 2010, Mourinho has not evolved in a strategic sense. While his favoured 4-2-3-1 system is still popular in the Premier League, none of Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus or Atletico Madrid use it. Mourinho’s philosophy of a rigid formation protected by a flat back four and double midfield pivot has become predictable and overly pragmatic.
2. ANTI-FOOTBALL, NOT ATTACKING FOOTBALL
One of the principle reasons for sacking Van Gaal is his sterile brand of possession football. It is farcical, then, that in a bid to bring the buzz back to Old Trafford, United have now turned to a coach renowned for a defence-orientated, counterattacking game. Against top opposition, Mourinho's teams nearly always set out to destroy rather than create. Hardly 'the Manchester United way'.
3. HOMEGROWN HATER
Jose Mourinho's record of bringing young players through the ranks – or lack of one – is infamous. Would the likes of Jesse Lingard, Cameron Borthwick-Jackson, Marcus Rashford or Timothy Fosu-Mensah have broken into the first team under Mourinho? No chance.
4. COMPLETE STYLE CHANGE
Antonio Conte and Pep Guardiola are coaches who have been hired to develop the existing styles and tactics already deployed at Chelsea and Manchester City. Mourinho's tactics are nothing like what Louis van Gaal has been playing at Man Utd, so the team will have to start again from scratch.
5. NO CLASS, NO DIPLOMACY
Whatever one's views on Manchester United's supposed moral high ground, it is easy to understand why club legend Bobby Charlton was against appointing Mourinho as Alex Ferguson's successor. He's eye-gouged a fellow coach, played a direct role in the retirement of a referee and, most recently, made a female team doctor's position completely untenable. Charlton said that while Ferguson respected Mourinho, "he doesn't like him too much". Few do.
6. RELATIONSHIP WITH JORGE MENDES
The most powerful agent in the world, Mendes is so close to Mourinho that he reportedly had his own office at Real Madrid during his friend’s reign. This has led to many of Mendes’ players moving to Mourinho clubs, but will this be healthy for Man Utd? The laughable loan signing of Mendes client Radamel Falcao for Chelsea last summer illustrates the risks of such a relationship.
7. SHORT-TERM BLINKERS
Instant success is everything Mourinho stands for and why he's being hired, but that's not what Fergie saw as the Manchester United way. Any talk of the club developing a dynasty will be torpedoed and all that will matter is the next result, the next win, the next trophy.
8. MAN UTD BOARDROOM BATTLE
Transfer chief Ed Woodward is believed to be the architect of Mourinho's impending arrival at Old Trafford but few others at boardroom level are convinced the Portuguese should be hired, including Ferguson. If Mourinho flops, the pressure to turn form around will mount rapidly.
9. POOR PEP RECORD
One of the biggest challenges for Man Utd next season will be competing with Manchester City and Guardiola. Although he's had the occasional success, the 2010 Champions League most memorably, his record vs Pep's Barcelona while at Real Madrid was noticeably inferior.
10. MIXED TRANSFER RECORD
Over £300 million has been thrown away on transfers like Marouane Fellaini, Memphis Depay and Angel Di Maria since Ferguson retired in 2013. Meanwhile, Mourinho's transfer record is littered with expensive flops like Ricardo Quaresma, Amantino Mancini and Nuri Sahin, as well as terrible sales like Kevin De Bruyne, Mohamed Salah and Arjen Robben.
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