The manner in which Manchester United sources let slip that Jose Mourinho was to replace Louis van Gaal just minutes after the Red Devils had lifted the FA Cup at Wembley on Sunday was inhumane.
Now there’s never a good way to sack anyone, but United seem to have utterly failed in what should have been a fairly straight-forward public relations exercise.
At the time, I thought the way in which Manchester City announced back in February that Pep Guardiola would be replacing Manuel Pellegrini at the end of the season was incredibly risky, with both players and the coach possibly giving up until the new manager came in.
I also had reservations about the manner of Chelsea’s stop gap solution in Guus Hiddink, who in December replaced Mourinho, then the announcement during the campaign that Antonio Conte would take over after the conclusion of Euro 2016.
I feared players at both City and Chelsea would effectively write off the rest of the campaign – ready to start again next season. And in many ways that’s precisely what happened; both teams still wildly underachieved, even though City scraped a top four finish and reached the Champions League semi-final.
Say what you like about both City and Chelsea’s approach though, be it detrimental to morale and all, but at least everyone knew where they stood – and at least the speculation was nipped in the bud before it further jeopardised performances on the pitch and turned things into a media circus.
It allowed Guardiola and Conte plenty of time to prepare for next season without too much intrusion, and it also initiated some kickback from Pellegrini and Hiddink, who, in full knowledge of this being temporary, gave it their all. It ended with dignity.
United on the other hand have had constant Mourinho rumours hanging over their head since December and it doesn’t matter how professional the players are, such talk will affect them. They kept up the facade but ultimately failed – no Champions League next season – despite winning the FA Cup.
It’s now become clear that United were in fact in talks with Mourinho all along. But what I don’t understand is why the Old Trafford club persisted with Van Gaal if they were indeed mulling over Mourinho? Especially with reports that the Portuguese was paid 4 million pounds (Dh21.2 million) by United not to take another job until they figured out what to do with Van Gaal.
At the first sign of doubt, United should have sacked Van Gaal, and if Mourinho, for whatever reason, wasn’t ready to immediately take charge, they should have come to some sort of agreement whereby Van Gaal works up until the summer or his assistant Ryan Giggs serves as an interim.
All of this – it goes without saying – could have been conducted behind closed doors first before these intentions were made public knowledge. What has happened is unbecoming of a club of Manchester United’s stature. All means of severance are bad, but there are better bad ways. As for Mourinho, he’ll be the imperfect but entertaining and immediate remedy United are looking for, but with the way United have handled this whole debacle, without perhaps giving him the time to phase in like Guardiola and Conte, I wouldn’t be surprised if he was having second thoughts.
