There is ‘unfinished business’ for Jose Mourinho at Manchester United, and he may be the ideal person to begin the Sir Jim Ratcliffe era.
The captivating Portuguese coach is supposedly targeting a spectacular comeback at Old Trafford since he is now again a free agent.
“I warned [Manchester] United after two months that ‘with these guys you are never going to do it,’ but there are still people in that club. When I say people, I mean certain players but also some other individuals who are not players. And they remain there.”
Jose Mourinho has become an expert at making up reasons for his mistakes, as seen by his recent remarks on the podcast “Obi One,” which features former Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel. Despite being one of the most celebrated managers in history, the 61-year-old is not afraid to criticize his players or even the people who work in the background when anything goes wrong.
Mourinho, who never missed a chance to whine about having to operate within a limited transfer budget at Stadio Olimpico, was fired by Roma, the latest club to lose patience with him. The Giallorossi were ninth in Serie A after 20 games after their 3-1 loss to AC Milan.
As optimism gave way to poison in the Italian capital, Mourinho’s third-season syndrome set in once more, and he has now been fired by four teams in a row. However, there will always be a way for the “Special One” to return to the game, and even if he is undoubtedly a thing of the past now, nobody is more adept at producing immediate results.
As luck would have it, United needs a swift turn around, and Mourinho believes he has “unfinished business” at Old Trafford, according to the Daily Mail. The former manager of Chelsea and Real Madrid may have even “made it his mission” to lead the Red Devils once more, according to the article.
Most United supporters will first view it as a worst-case scenario. However, Mourinho may be the ideal person to start a new chapter for the team under the direction of INEOS, its new minority owner.
While Mourinho was in the Old Trafford dugout, he was subordinate to Ed Woodward, the former executive vice chairman, who managed all transfers in the absence of a sports director. Although the Glazers always supported Woodward, he was frequently criticized for his careless spending, as United overpaid for well-known players rather than taking the time to thoroughly scout for targets.
The Athletic claims that Mourinho was also overruled about some departures. After Anthony Martial’s second season, the Portuguese decided he was surplus to need. Joel Glazer, however, stood up for the Frenchman, thinking he might become “the club’s Pele.”
Woodward, of course, concurred with the co-chairman, and shortly after Mourinho was fired in December 2018, Martial was given a new, extended deal. Even though United was obviously in decline toward the conclusion of his tenure, Mourinho managed to win the Europa League and the Carabao Cup before leading the team to their best-ever Premier League finish—second place—following the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson.
A two-time European winner Mourinho has won league championships in Spain, Italy, and Portugal, in addition to three Premier League crowns with Chelsea. However, he places equal weight on his achievements at United since he believed those in positions of authority had the skills necessary to build long-term success at one of the largest teams in the world.
“Someone may comment, ‘This guy is crazy.'” Mourinho said to beIN Sports in 2019 that finishing second with United was one of his greatest football accomplishments. He has won 25 titles. “The reason I keep saying this is because people are unaware of what goes on behind the scenes.”
There is suddenly optimism for a better future, even if United’s current season is already in ruins and the FA Cup is Ten Hag’s team’s only realistic path to winning trophies while Champions League qualification is virtually unattainable.
That’s all because, following two decades of fan complaints, Sir Jim Ratcliffe eventually withdrew from football operations by acquiring a 25% ownership stake in the club in a deal allegedly for £1.3 billion ($1.6 billion). The chairman of INEOS stated in a statement, “Our shared ambition is clear: we all want to see Manchester United back where we belong, at the very top of English, European, and world football.”
Shortly before Ratcliffe arrived, the much-maligned CEO, Richard Arnold, resigned. INEOS has demonstrated that they mean business by moving rapidly to find Ratcliffe’s replacement, who coincidentally played for Manchester City for the final 13 years of his career.
To take over for Arnold at Old Trafford, Omar Berrada resigned from his position as chief football operations officer at the Etihad Stadium. According to United, Berrada’s hiring marks a significant first step in the team’s goal of “putting football and performance on the pitch back at the heart of everything we do.” After being engaged in several major deals at City, such as Erling Haaland’s transfer from Borussia Dortmund, Berrada will undoubtedly play a significant role when he formally arrives in the summer. Ratcliffe is rumored to have already begun revamping the team’s recruitment philosophy.
Mourinho has expressed interest in all of this, saying he would love to collaborate with the incoming administration, according to The Daily Mail. Now that the groundwork has been laid, the only thing left to do is appoint a manager who can translate Ratcliffe’s vision onto the field.
Only four United players who were part of Mourinho’s team remain as of right now: Scott McTominay, Luke Shaw, Marcus Rashford, and Anthony Martial. Martial’s contract ends in the summer, and with his most recent setback to his injuries, a renewal would be unfathomable if there was any possibility he would still be with the team next season.
However, Shaw’s eyes won’t get excited about the possibility of working with Mourinho again. The England international had a difficult time at Old Trafford due to injuries, and even when he was healthy, he was never able to perform at the level that Mourinho expected of him. The Portuguese publicly chastised Shaw on many occasions, even claiming he was “making every decision for him” following the left-back’s impressive display in a match against Everton in 2017. Even after leaving the game, Shaw was subject to Mourinho’s criticism, as the England international was criticized for a “dramatically bad” set-piece delivery during the Euro 2020 group stages.
In reaction to Mourinho’s remarks, Shaw stated, “He likes some, he doesn’t like others, and I fell into the category where he didn’t like me.” I made every effort to win him back, but no matter what I did, it was never successful. Nothing hides from us that we couldn’t figure out. Although I believe he was an excellent manager, the past is, well, the past. I think it’s odd that he talks about me all the time. I’m hoping he can come to terms with it, move on, and stop caring about me. It’s obvious he thinks of me frequently.
Rashford and McTominay, on the other hand, would undoubtedly throw up their arms to welcome Mourinho back. Even though Rashford scored a career-high 30 goals for United in 2022-2023, he maintains that he “reached his apex” with Mourinho, and McTominay has called the Portuguese coach a “real-life legend.”
Players still feel strongly about Mourinho; they either adore him or despise him. However, individuals who follow his advice frequently benefit greatly.
Everyone used to adore Mourinho at one point. His innate confidence, which is uncommon in football management, along with his captivating personality, made all of his press appearances captivating to witness.
He became increasingly conceited as time went on, and his strategies are no longer nearly as successful as they were when he was at Porto, Chelsea, and Inter. Mourinho attempts to create a mentality of “us against them” and aggressive paranoia, which has a negative effect on his players.
He is still an ardent supporter of counterattacking football and has fallen behind because he consistently prioritizes discipline above originality. The Pep Guardiolas and the Jurgen Klopps of this world are more capable than Mourinho, which is why they have been at the top longer.
However, these days, very few other managers have sustained success at elite teams. Owners today tend to swiftly abandon “long-term projects” because of the high financial stakes, as Graham Potter tragically discovered at Chelsea last year.
Due to his impeccable track record and status as a serial champion, Mourinho will always be in great demand. Mourinho can give United a first push in the right direction, but they will need a more forward-thinking manager in the future to return to the pinnacle of the game.
