It’s no longer news the José Mourinho was sacked by Manchester United yesterday as result of poor run of results in the League.
17 matches into the season, the Red Devils could only manage 26 points — the lowest they’ve achieved in 30 years. The awful stats are becoming increasingly unacceptable to the club’s hierarchies who have exercised so much patience with the Portuguese manager.
United are 11 points off Champions League’s qualifying position while they are 19 points behind League leaders Liverpool.
MANAGERS REACTION TO MOURINHO’S DISMISSAL
Reactions, comments and opinions have been pouring in since the Portuguese was shown the exit door by his employers. Pundits, fans and managers have made their remarks on Mourinho’s highly-anticipated sack.
Arsenal manager Unai Emery was the first manager to show his sympathy for José Mourinho.
According to him, Mourinho’s dismissal isn’t a good one for other managers. The former Sevilla boss admitted he was shocked when the report of his contract termination broke out yesterday as he didn’t see it coming this early.
“The only thing I can say to you is that it’s a surprise for me and not good news,” he confessed.
The reason behind United’s decision to part ways with their manager was obvious to everyone, but not to Emery who claimed he didn’t know why the Red Devils took such decision at this stage of the season.
“Mourinho’s experience in the Premier League and of coaching, in general, is very big. It’s not good news, but I don’t know why this decision has been made.” he told reporters ahead of his clash with Tottenham later tonight.
As for Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, Mourinho is a great and successful manager and he felt sorry with the way things turned out for him at Old Trafford.
He charged the Portuguese to take his mind off the controversial moments he encountered at Old Trafford and brace up for the future ahead.
Despite being the last manager to defeat Mourinho’s team on Sunday, Klopp confessed his respect for the former Chelsea manager as he said : “He’s a very competitive guy. Very ambitious. Really competitive. He has all my respect.”
WHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER UNITED
According to the club’s Vice-chairman Ed Woodward, the Old Trafford outfits will hire an interim manager who will be at the helm of affairs for the rest of the campaign.
The target for Mourinho’s short-term replacement is easy — take the team back to where it should be (among the top-four clubs) before the end of the season.
It is yet to be seen who would be hired as the caretaker coach, whoever becomes the next manager at Old Trafford has gotten a huge hurdle ahead of him.
11 points off Chelsea isn’t a small gap to close and it would take extraordinary performances from the players and a bit of luck to see them leapfrog the Blues in the race for Champions League’s final qualifying spot.
A huge task surely awaits the next United manager, however, it’s very much achievable as long as he finds the best way to make his players feel better and comfortable with his style of play.
