United fires Mourinho

Wanted: A coach to restore Manchester United to its former status as a major force in European football. It was a task that proved beyond even Jose Mourinho.

United brought an end to Mourinho’s turbulent 2½-year spell at the storied English club by firing him on 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-center 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 modern-day soccer.

United said it will not hire a permanent replacement for Mourinho until the offseason. 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. /