Mourinho fired by Man United
Wanted: A coach to restore Manchester United to its former status as a major force in European soccer.
It was a task that proved beyond even Jose Mourinho.
United brought an end to Mourinho’s turbulent 2 1/2-year spell at the storied English club by firing him Tuesday, an inevitable move that follows a pattern of bitter endings at the Portuguese coach’s recent teams.
“Be careful,” Mourinho said to reporters and photographers through the open window of a car that whisked him away from the city-centre hotel where he lived throughout his time at United.
Indeed, these are worrying times for both United, which is arguably at its lowest point since the departure of long-time manager Alex Ferguson in 2013, and Mourinho, whose illustrious coaching career is at a crossroads as critics question if his abrasive approach, on and off the field, still suits modernday soccer.
United said it will not hire a permanent replacement for Mourinho until the off-season. The club will soon appoint a caretaker manager for the remainder of the season and a page on United’s website suggested it will be former striker Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Under a video of Solskjaer celebrating after scoring the winning goal for United in the 1999 Champions League final, a post read : “Solskjaer becomes our interim manager, 20 seasons after clinching the Treble with THAT goal at Camp Nou...”
No official announcement has been made, however.
The end for Mourinho at English soccer’s most prestigious club came two days after a 3-1 loss at fierce rival Liverpool, the latest reminder of just how far United has slumped behind the top teams in the Premier League and Europe.
It was a result that left United sixth in the Premier League, 19 points off the lead after 17 games and, perhaps more significantly, 11 points off the top four in the race to secure Champions League qualification for next season. It is United’s worst 17-game start to a league campaign since the 1990-91 season.
“The club would like to thank Jose for his work during his time at Manchester United and to wish him success in the future,” United said in a three-line statement released after Mourinho was told of his fate in a face-to-face meeting with executive vice chairman Ed Woodward.
United won two titles in Mourinho’s first season — the English League Cup and the Europa League — but failed to capture a trophy in his second season, although runner-up spot in the league was its highest finish since Ferguson left.
Mourinho has historically encountered problems in his third season in charge at clubs he has managed, and it was no different at United.
In his six major coaching stints — at Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan, Real Madrid, Chelsea again and United — Mourinho has only lasted more than three years once, in his first spell at Chelsea.