Manchester United manager Mourinho was being tipped for the boot prior to the Red Devils’ stirring 3-2 win over Newcastle on Saturday. Reports the previous night had claimed the 55-year-old’s job was on the line, with a parting of the ways in the offing.
Manchester United dismissed reports of Mourinho being axed as ‘nonsense’ but stopped short of providing a public backing. Mourinho himself said the board had warned him about the rumours, saying: “The ones that read the papers, that are connected with social media, they thought maybe I had gone.
“If I hadn’t had an SMS from my board not to read (the papers), I would have been convinced too.”
The Independent claim, however, that Mourinho could still be sacked. It is claimed he will meet with the Red Devils board this week to discuss his future.
Mourinho appears isolated at United with the absence of his right-hand man, Rui Faria, rued.The 55-year-old also feels the board have failed to back him in the transfer market. Over the summer, the United boss was adamant he needed a centre-half.
But pursuits of Toby Alderweireld and Harry Maguire, as well as a half-hearted attempt at signing Diego Godin, all failed to pay off. Meanwhile, pundit Jamie Redknapp thinks Mourinho still has a long way to go to save his job.
“Some blame Ed Woodward for not backing Mourinho this summer,” he said.
“But you can’t fault him for the performances.
“The lack of energy is the sign the dressing room and manager are not in harmony. And why would you back a manager who splashed out more than £300m and alienates stars he signed such as Paul Pogba, Eric Bailly and Victor Lindelof?
“Mourinho didn’t need to dig out individuals after the game. He said that Marcus Rashford was sad on the pitch and (Scott) McTominay looked scared.
“Maybe it’s because the midfielder had been forced to play in an unfamiliar centre back role. Too many players are not responding to Mourinho.
“He is not the man to turn things around. The United board have a difficult decision to make. This win only delays the inevitable.”
As of now, the United boss remains in a job after his side launched a late comeback, coming from 2-0 down to beat the Magpies 3-2 and avoid another miserable defeat, lifting at least some pressure on the under-fire tactician.
Zinedine Zidane has long been mooted as Mourinho’s most likely successor but the former Real Madrid coach’s agent Alain Migliaccio has apparently poured cold water on such suggestions.
French newspaper Journal du Dimanche say Zidane’s representative declared: “I don’t think he’ll go to work in England, as it is not compatible with his style or approach to football. I discussed it with him and the idea really doesn’t attract him at all. He has chosen to take a sabbatical year and won’t change his mind on that.”
And the Telegraph claim that people close to Zidane likewise say that he is unsure about taking over a team in the Premier League given the difference in style in England.
It is added that the Frenchman – who won three straight Champions League titles in three years with Real Madrid before leaving at the end of last season – would also have reservations about succeeding a manager mid-way through a season.
However, United have not yet approached any potential replacement managers with it hoped that Mourinho will at the very least stay to the end of the season, provided he can steady the creaking ship.