With news reports circulating around the globe stating that Jose Mourinho has signed a deal to become the manager of Man Utd, the silence from Old Trafford is deafening.
Something is going on at Manchester United.
Louis van Gaal is 1/4 against being in charge of Man Utd next season.
Jose Mourinho is 1/6 to fill his clogs.
Every news source in the world is reporting that the Special One has signed a deal to take over in the summer.
Manchester United press office have done nothing to deny the rumours and to publicly back their current incumbent.
The Mirror has declared that Mourinho is close to signing a three-year deal to take over the reins in the summer. The same rag is reporting that he will be paid £15 million per year, and that Athletico Madrid Sporting Director Andrea Berta will be by his side.
There is no smoke without fire, and the red half of Manchester is ablaze tonight.
If the news is true, and Mourinho does move to United, it means the two greatest managers in the world will both be in the Premier League after Pep Guardiola agreed to join Man City at the end of the season.
During the Sir Alex Ferguson era, United were the greatest football club in the world. Since the great man moved upstairs, United have continued to slide into the abyss. They are nowhere near the stature of the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid, and on home turf, Man City have them well and truly in the rearview mirror.
Guardiola will be handed £150 million to build a better squad at City. He also has strong relationships with some of Barcelona’s greatest players. If United want to keep up with City, the only manager who can do that is Mourinho. It’s no secret that during his time with Madrid he ruffled the pristine plumage of Guardiola to such an extent that he took a year off before joining Bayern Munich.
But is this a good thing for United?
Of course it is.
When you hire Jose Mourinho you are almost guaranteed to win trophies. But what you won’t get is the fast flowing football that the United faithful so desperately crave. The one person who can deliver that is Ryan Giggs. If Mourinho moves in, the Welshman will move out.
Mourinho is a pragmatic man. He is about results. If he has to park the bus he will park it. In some ways Van Gaal is the same. They both have a philosophy, and it doesn’t involved fast flowing attacking football. It involves keeping the ball and winning football matches.
Given the amazing fall from grace that United have suffered since the Ferguson era, I don’t think United fans will care.
It’s all about trophies, and the Special One seems to shit them out of his ass.
