Ray Wilkins has been the talk of the town this season.
Having been sacked by Chelsea midway through the season he has been drawing plaudits for his punditry work and his latest comments to the Sunday Express are likely to create further buzz around him.
Speaking on former Chelsea mananger Jose Mourinho, Wilkins asserted that he could see the Portuguese man taking over from Sir Alex in the future,
“At the minute it’s hard to see Fergie stopping – you only have to look at him jumping up and down on the touchline to know he just adores football.
“He’s in charge of another fantastic Manchester United side and I think if they can keep Giggs and Scholes for one more year they are going to remain very competitive.
“But Fergie is a dear friend of Jose, you know. I would imagine they converse, I would think they are on the phone together every now and then. And I wouldn’t put it past Manchester United that if Sir Alex decided this was time to call it a day that Jose would be the type of guy they would go for.”
There isn’t a single soul who can question Mourinho’s managerial prowess. He is undeniably a winner and his record and trophy hauls in Portugal, England and Italy will likely silence anybody who wants to dispute his credentials but with the success comes the ‘baggage’.
The manner of his departure from Chelsea was less than friendly (leading me to question whether he could ever return to the Bridge with Abramovich still in charge), he had a love hate relationship in Italy and despite being in Spain for a relatively short time he already has a relationship with Jorge Valdano, Real Madrid’s General Director, that can be described as prickly at best.
I have seen some sections of fans that also oppose his appointment here because of the manner in which he brings the circus to town every time he joins a club. Invariably it always becomes the Jose Mourinho show, case in point being both Champions League finals he has appeared in where despite his team winning he has managed to steal the spotlight with his antics.
So at a club as big as United would these things be acceptable?
Success is a big price to pay if it means devaluing everything we as a club stand for so I ask would you be happy with Jose Mourinho being appointed as our manager?
[poll id=”33″]
I will not welcome him to Old Trafford…. i think too much is made of what he does and if people really analyze him they’ll see he’s a bit overrated. I don’t like that word overrated and i rarely use it but this was the right time to do so.
He’s far too arrogant for this club
i voted yes albeit it took me a few minutes to decide to do so. My main problem is whether he can stay true to the attacking style old trafford demands. Wherever he manages, he signs world class players, instils an unerring belief and most importantly he wins. However, i like many, hate ‘those’ away days in europe with rooney on the left and berbs isolated up front and fergie happily taking a 0-0 or 1-0 to old trafford. my point is with mourinho these types of games could become the norm domestically aswell and i doubt we, the united fans could tolerate our soul being stripped away like this.
I agree his so-called arrogance is maybe too much for a club to take on BUT ignoring that, his record speaks for itself. How many managers have achieved what he has? 3 Champions League titles for 3 different clubs in 3 different countries, that takes some doing!
Who is to say he could not do it with United?
IF there is one single thing against Jose being at United it is his style of football. United’s is an ‘up and at ’em’ style but Jose’s is more more defensive and how would the OT faithful take to that?
On the reverse side though, if Jose won title after title, who would care how they play, winning is everything, right?
For me I would accept Jose Mourinho with open arms. He is a winner and that’s what United are, WINNERS!
Where did you learn how to count..
Terry slipped, Anelka missed; its 2 champions league titles with two separate clubs.
Don’t want him in Carrington. He’s too much of a prick. Besides he doesn’t do much with the reserves or the youth.. But apparently Fergie likes him and since Fergie knows best, will just wait and see..
Hasan – I got confused with League titles, so I apologise but who else could fill Sir Alex’s boots?
I cannot think of one good enough, can you?
I would rather have Guardiola albeit the difficulty it may be to get him. Mourinho just talks more than his actions
I voted ‘No.’ Jose himself has stated numerous times about his love for Chelsea and how Chelsea is the only club he really enjoyed working at. Such utterances of loyalty and allegiance to Chelsea shouldn’t be ignored or forgotten!
Really hard call. The guy’s an obvious winner and the odds are in favour of him doing the same if he took over at OT. All that said, there is the circus and the likelyhood of him being a longstanding and loyal manager is unlikely. Is it worth a few short years of glory? I still can decide.
yes…I am replying to myself. I think my final answer is no, though I wouldn’t be against it if they decided to hire him.
What he’s good at, perhaps more than anyone, is working with what’s been given him and producing the best possible outcome. His time at Inter especially proves that.
But my main reason for saying no to him is not that he’s a bit of a glory hunter, it’s because I don’t see a strong record of him developing youth and taking chances on unhyped players. It is also for this reason that the club he leaves is not necessarily stronger than when he arrived. He has signed good players before, but they were already proven and in their prime. How many academy players has he brought though, or Hernandez-esque signings?
At almost any point in SAF’s time at United, had he left, it would’ve been with a team capable of winning for any successor; I’m not sure the said can be said for Mourinho.
I absolutely hate him, purely for his arrogance. But then whoever succeeds Fergie will have to be pretty self-confident, because the pressure will be immense. Now whether Mourinho knows how to deal with pressure is an interesting question, but what he does know how to do is win titles and inspire his players. He is a pretty brilliant man-manager.
I think it will either be him or a former United player who would be given more respite from fans. My problem with Mourinho is that he can get bored very easily and try to leave within a few years as the next big job becomes available. And we probably need someone more long-term than that.
I still like David Moyes although I know Everton have been rubbish this season. But he always reminds me of a young Fergie doing the best he can with an underdog of a team. He is also pretty feisty and can ruffle feathers if need be. But then, the whole big ego management comes into question, although I don’t think that is a major problem at United.
I fear for the day Fergie leaves us…
Moyes has to remain a strong candidate. At Everton he generally has a well balanced team and has them playing a game that’s fun to watch while remaining structured. He also gets the most out of his players.
The fact that Everton is the biggest club he’s managed will work against him; but I don’t think he should be overlooked on that basis alone.
If he’ll av to succeed fergie, he’ll av to turn off his arrogance coz de club is so reputable so that his arrogance’ll paste big red target on our club’s back. He’ll be welcomed.
I’d take him in a heart beat! Any one who ses they wudn’t is a fool!! He’s all bout WINNING, plain and simple! Football has changed, its all about results.
I hear ppl sayin his style is not attacking enough for us. Buh personally i dnt fink we hav been playin at our sparkling best for a couple of years (BUT WE HAV STILL BEEN WINNING!!) player’s have produced spectacular moments, buh our ruthless streak has been missing.
One thing is certain, is it will be a dark day when Sir Alex steps aside 🙁
(only ‘Sir Giggs’ cud plug the huge gap)
I think it many of us, while at the start opposing his tenure would love him when he started winning. The trouble is there will be no one that will realistically match our expectations or our comparisons to SAF. I think there are a few candidates that have the potential rise to the challenge. Guardiola is the prime target, if the rumours his wants to prove himself are true. Though the question has to be asked whether its his managerial expertise or the amazing side he has that has made Barcelona the best side in the world ( sorry its true). I think a bit of both.
Moves would be the prime British target. What he’s done at everton is produce a side with a miniature budget into a European competitive side and produced and let flourish a stream of youth players. He does remind me of fergie and although I do think it might hurt him just managing everton I don’t think its that bad, in fact his stability could work in his favour.
The thier are two more one a wild shot and another that could be. Firstly the could be, Laurent Blanc did a great job at Bordeaux. Made them a title winning side and a growing force in Europe, his squad is modest but has got the best out of them.