WOODWARD ACTS PEACEMAKER IN MOURINHO CRISIS
United admit Jose IS a problem, but trust Woodward to sort it
SENIOR figures at Manchester United have acknowledged there is a problem with Jose Mourinho — but they believe executive vice chairman Ed Woodward can fix it.
A miserable summer tour of the USA, coupled with a telling outburst from Paul Pogba and a 3-2 defeat at Brighton on Sunday have seen storm clouds gather above Old Trafford just two games into the season.
Members of the club’s top brass are aware there is an issue which needs to be resolved but there is no panic. They have confidence Woodward can deal with it, despite concerns that if the situation is not addressed effectively it could quickly snowball.
And in a surreal development yesterday, Pogba’s outspoken agent Mino Raiola risked sparking a feud with United fans by criticising club legend Paul Scholes. Raiola took to social media to claim that Scholes, who slammed Pogba’s display following the Brighton loss, ‘wouldn’t recognise a leader if he was in front of Sir Winston Churchill’.
The agent, who tagged Pogba in his tweets, added cryptically: ‘Paul Scholes should become sports director and advise Woodward to sell Pogba. Would be sleepless nights to find Pogba a new club’.
Raiola’s involvement is viewed as unhelpful by United.
Mourinho, outspoken during the club’s trans-Atlantic trip, is battling disillusion in the dressing room over his methods.
Pogba — recently offered an olive branch by Mourinho in the form of the captaincy — admitted that he could not express his feelings for fear of triggering a fine following United’s 2-1 opening-night victory over Leicester.
Mourinho’s criticism of United’s dealings in the transfer market this summer and his annoyance at missing out on a centre half have touched a nerve with some of the club’s powerbrokers, who believe the manager has not delivered the short-term fix they had hoped for.
United, who host Tottenham on Monday, will today report back to Carrington, where it is thought Mourinho will address the situation with his players.
Woodward has already made moves to improve relations and the feeling inside the club is that it is now over to the manager to earn his money.
The problem comes at a time when Woodward’s efforts have been focused on modernising the club’s academy — which Sportsmail understands has seen seven times more investment than in recent years — and the overhaul of United’s scouting.
Moves to find and appoint a director of football, which it is hoped will provide a buffer between the manager and board, are ongoing and a successful candidate could emerge before the end of the season. Meanwhile, club officials are bemused by Gary Neville’s criticism of Woodward following Sunday’s defeat at the Amex Stadium.
Former United defender Neville claimed that Woodward had sat stony-faced in his seat for two minutes — something he does not ‘want to see the CEO of Manchester United do’.
The Sky Sports pundit added: ‘Stand up, shake the opposition CEO’s hand, smile, be bigger than anything and get into the back’.
A source said Woodward remained in his seat until the queue for the exit had died down and later congratulated his Brighton counterparts on their victory.