PREMIER LEAGUE THE PEACEMAKER
United are backing Woodward to solve Jose crisis... for now
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 mitted that he could not express ess his feelings for fear of triggering a fine afte United’s 2-1 openingnight victory against Leicester.
Mourinho’s criticism of United’s dealings in the transfer market this summer and his annoyance at missing g out on a centre half have ave touched a nerve with some of the club’s powerbrokers,k who h 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 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 idea of Pogba leaving, with the transfer window closed for english clubs, is not being entertained.
The problem comes at a time when Woodward’s efforts have been focused on modernising the academy — which Sportsmail understands has seen seven times more investment than in recent years — and the overhaul of scouting. Moves tto find and appoint a ddirector of football, whwhich it is hoped will proprovide a buffer between manmanager and board, are ongoinongoing and a candidate couldld emerge before the end of the season.
Meanwhile, club officials are bemused by Gary neville’s criticism of Woodward following the 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’.
Woodward is understood to have praised his Brighton counterparts immediately after he stood up and to have repeated his congratulations later in the boardroom.