After Manchester United sacked the widely criticised Louis van Gaal on Monday, it's seemed destined that Jose Mourinho will be their next boss.
'Mou' has long awaited his opportunity for the Man United job, and now, 'The Special One’ inherits a team with budding prospects, ageing staples and loads of money to spend. Winning is synonymous with the Red Devils, and as Mourinho has shown over the years that the same goes for him.
The Portuguese manager is one of only five head coaches to win a title in four different countries. Now, with his dream job in his palms, he will have the opportunity to excel once again. Mourinho has already sacked nearly the entire United coaching staff, aside from longtime Red Devil, Ryan Giggs.
United’s recent FA Cup victory propels them into next season on a high note, and Mourinho is sure to be hungry to return to his winning ways.
These are the FIVE reasons why Mourinho and Manchester United are a match made in heaven…
He has wanted this job for years
After Mourinho was sacked from the Chelsea managerial position less than a year after winning the Premier League, he was dubbed 'desperate' for the Man United job.
Mourinho’s 2015/16 season with Chelsea was perhaps the most disappointing of his career. 'The Special One’ hardly resembled his moniker as Chelsea suffered nine losses in the team’s first 16 games.
The recent failure will motivate Mourinho. The last time he had such a disappointment was his final season with Real Madrid in 2012/13, after which he left Spain and joined Chelsea - within two years he formed a Premier League-winning squad.
He has always coveted the prospect of managing at United, and now he gets the opportunity to restore excellence for himself and the club after a hugely disappointing spell.
He will explore the market
One of Mourinho’s calling cards is a propensity to explore the transfer market. He did it in Real Madrid when the club acquired Mesut Ozil, and again when he brought in Didier Drogba with Chelsea. Both players thrived under the Portuguese manager.
Now, at one of the world’s most recognisable clubs, Mourinho has £270m to work with. Reports have suggested that Mourinho has already indicated that he wants to reunite with midfielder Wesley Sneijder, who, together, propelled Inter Milan to a Champions league title in 2010. Acquiring the playmaker would provide the necessary boost that United’s midfield needs, with Wayne Rooney ageing and younger players untested at Old Trafford.
In addition, 'The Special One’ is interested in landing Zlatan Ibrahimovic from PSG. The world-class striker has clearly indicated he will be leaving PSG and it appears the new United manager listened.
John Stones is another potential target. Mourinho will use the extensive resources available to form the team he feels will succeed.
His formation has worked
Mourinho is much maligned for his 'park the bus' strategy, a defensive mindset that may not sit well with the Man United faithful, but that isn’t necessarily an accurate pretence.
His 4-2-3-1 style shone in his second stint with Chelsea. His strategy of playing defensively in big games, then counter-attacking isn’t always welcomed by fans, yet Mourinho wins wherever he goes.
His teams also score quite often. In his tenure at Real Madrid, his side outscored Barcelona in two out of three seasons, while Chelsea also finished in the top three of goals scored in his full two seasons during his second stint with the club.
Louis van Gaal’s style of play was constantly criticised by United fans. The team finished 10th in scoring out of all Premier League teams this season, a far cry from what is expected at Old Trafford.
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Boisterous personality
Wherever Mourinho goes, conversation and drama follow. United’s most successful manager of all time, Sir Alex Ferguson, admitted he was “ruthless,” but he saw the approach as necessary for success.
Sound familiar? Mourinho constantly engages in dialogue with fans, media and players alike. He pushes his stars to the brink of disdain, but it has worked in several cases.
Mourinho is comical with his goal celebrations and he patrols the touch line with a confident bravado. He often isn’t the most likeable manager, but the United faithful will experience nostalgia if and when Mourinho wins at Old Trafford.
A blue chip club like United just needs a personality like Mourinho. David Moyes’ reserved nature didn’t coincide with the passion that circulates around United as a whole.
Now the club has one of the world’s most well-known personalities as its head man.
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United's win-now philosophy
The Red Devils are eager to return to the top of the Premier League standings - the last time United won the league they has long dominated was the 2012/13 season. Currently, the club is in the midst of its longest spell without a title for some time - the last time United went three years without a Premier League championship was a decade ago.
Similarly, Mourinho is addicted to winning and has always wanted his players to feel the same. His self-proclaimed 'Special One' creates expectations to succeed.
And throughout his career, Mourinho has done so. He has won 22 titles in four different countries throughout his career.
Mourinho's past successes place massive expectations on 'The Special One' to be the one who revamps United.
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