Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Lose to Ajax and Jose’s in danger of being bracketed with post-fergie flops
JOSE MOURINHO’S enduring powers as the Special One will be defined by the biggest game of his career – Manchester United’s Europa League final against Ajax. Win in Stockholm, and he will have put two trophies in the cabinet – and restored United to the Champions League mainstream – in his first season at Old Trafford. But if they lose in Sweden, Mourinho will be a massive failure in his first season if he only wins the League Cup and finishes outside the top four. And he will be in danger of being bracketed with David Moyes and Louis van Gaal as a flop. After all, Van Gaal was sacked 12 months ago after he won the FA Cup and came fifth in the Premier League. Mourinho said before the semi-final against Celta Vigo that it was the biggest game in United’s history. Well, the final against Ajax will be the most critical game of his managerial career because we’ll find out if he’s still the Special One, or if his powers are on the wane. Look, I like Jose Mourinho and the verve he brings to English football. But there is a spooky symmetry to his record: Wherever he has managed, his teams have always finished in exactly the same position as they were after 12 games. United were sixth a dozen games into this campaign – and there is every chance they will finish there when the music stops after 38 games. Not good enough for a club of their worldwide stature. And that’s an amazing thing to write after they went on a 25-game unbeaten run in the Premier League. A section of pundits and critics were not impressed with Mourinho’s safety-first tactics as they crept over the line in the second leg against Celta Vigo. Some of the fans are unhappy with the lack of flair, too. I would argue they got the job done – and in most home games this season, they have averaged around 25 goal attempts, which hardly means they have been picking anyone’s pockets at Old Trafford. Negative tactics? It’s hardly Mourinho’s fault so many opposition keepers have played out of their skins there this season, or that his strikers have squandered so many chances. I would also argue, of the £500million or so United have spent since Sir Alex Ferguson left four years ago, Mourinho could not be accused of squandering his share of it. Of his four major signings, Eric Bailly has been decent – although they will miss him in the Europa League final through suspension. Henrikh Mkhitaryan has looked a class act at times. Paul Pogba has only shown glimpses of his true pedigree – I believe he will hit his stride next season. And Zlatan Ibrahimovic has scored 28 goals. Not bad for a free transfer, even if his wages were steep. Mourinho should get at least two more transfer windows, minimum, to complete the makeover of the team in his own image. I would concede 100 goals in 60 games this season is not a high enough strike-rate for a club of United’s attacking traditions. And I do feel Mourinho needs to beat Ajax, put that second pot on the sideboard and reach the Champions League to let his rivals know the magic has not evaporated. But I also think United will be Chelsea’s biggest rivals for the title next season.