Jose Mourinho
Replacing Alex Ferguson is proving harder than Manchester United could ever have imagined.
United is looking for its third manager since Ferguson’s trophy-laden 26-year dynasty ended in 2013 after firing Louis van Gaal yesterday [Macau time] following months of uncertainty around his position.
Jose Mourinho is set to take over at Old Trafford as the latest coach attempting to revive the fortunes of England’s biggest club.
It was beyond David Moyes, who lasted 10 months as Ferguson’s hand-picked successor, and now Van Gaal has departed after two underwhelming years when he oversaw more than USD350 million of spending on new players.
“I am very disappointed to be unable to complete our intended three-year plan,” Van Gaal said. “I believe that the foundations are firmly in place to enable the club to move forward and achieve even greater success.”
United, the record 20-time English champion, said its “decision on a successor as manager will be announced soon” while giving no names.
Delivering United’s first trophy — an FA Cup on Saturday — since Ferguson’s retirement was not enough to save Van Gaal. He paid the price for failing to qualify United for next season’s Champions League, with the team finishing fifth in the Premier League.
“I hope that winning the FA Cup will give the club a platform to build upon next season to restore the success that this passionate set of fans desire,” Van Gaal said.
The 64-year-old Van Gaal could now be heading into retirement. He has also coached Ajax, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and the Netherlands in a stellar coaching career. But Van Gaal’s turbulent tenure at United has been marred by accusations from critics that he betrayed the Red Devil’s heritage by playing a defensive, risk-averse style.
Mourinho has been heavily linked with the United job for months and told The Associated Press last week that he would sign a contract with a new team by the end of next month. The Portuguese coach is a serial winner, guiding Chelsea to three Premier League titles in his two spells, but his footballing philosophy and confrontational style has long been regarded as at odds with United traditions. AP
No Comments