It’s becoming the biggest joke in recent football history.
Ed Woodward reportedly persuading Louis van Gaal to stay at Manchester United while the Dutchman continues to oversee terrible results, terrible performances and an increasingly likely Champions League abyss.
Then there is Jose Mourinho.
The man who is almost a carbon copy of Sir Alex when he took the helm at the club in 1986.
A headstrong visionary who doesn’t always get it right and certainly puts a lot of noses out of joint (Fergie is possibly still paying off his FA fines to this day).
But a man who has the desire and resilience to come back fighting every time. The hunger and knowledge to eventually succeed and dominate the rest.
Jose doesn’t just have the right personality for Manchester United. He has the track record which suggests that at least Premier League success is guaranteed. Oh and the two Champions League winners medals – won at Porto and Inter – aren’t particularly common in any manager’s locker either. LvG doesn’t have two. And he probably can’t find the one he did win because it was over 20 years ago.
At a time when there is so little certainty at United – we have never seen Manchester United so far off the pace in terms of quality in The Premier League era – why would the board even consider keeping LvG? Furthermore why would they consider giving the job to anyone but Jose?
No disrespect to Pep Guardiola or Ryan Giggs but few within the walls of Old Trafford seem to understand the gravity of the situation.
As we have seen with LvG, no amount of money can sort Manchester United out if it’s placed in the wrong hands.
And if the football continues like this, will big brands still want to be associated with the club in a year or two? Will Adidas pull out like Vodafone seemed to?
The health of the club has to start on the pitch. It’s as simple as that.
Giggs is a legend but he doesn’t guarantee success. Pep is coming to The Premier League for the first time and we have seen with LvG that acclaimed tactics which work elsewhere don’t always wash in the high-paced, physical English league. Pep will, at very least, take time to adjust. And he too is obsessed with possession-based football.
So Jose Mourinho must be starting to feel a little perturbed himself.
Because it is Manchester United, not Jose, who should be grateful if they do get him on board.
Jose is the right man in the right place at the right time. The stars have aligned. But Ed Woodward is seemingly too short-sighted to spot the wonderful convergence.
Vegguy
Jan 26, 2016 at 8:49 pm
Ed Woodward was and is the main problem. A risk adverse accountant, he doesn’t have the nerve to do what is necesaary to make the team successful. Until Woodward goes, MU will be a mid-table club at best. If he doesn’t go soon; they will be there for a long time.