Jose Mourinho walks away with a hefty compensation cheque but a damaged reputation
There were many in football who felt, long before United recruited Mourinho, that it was a bad fit, Sky's Nick Powell writes.
Tuesday 18 December 2018 18:31, UK
Like both of Jose Mourinho's departures from Chelsea, his Manchester United exit was a shock but not a surprise.
Sunday seems to have been the final straw.
The humiliation of a 3-1 defeat at the home of Liverpool, leaving them 19 points behind those bitter rivals at the top of the Premier League, was bad enough.
The sight of record signing Paul Pogba watching from under a tracksuit hood in the driving rain at Anfield, the French World Cup winner's relationship with Mourinho evidently so wrecked that he was not trusted even as a substitute in a situation of dire need, underlined the crisis.
Was Mourinho, a picture of morose dissatisfaction all season, actually trying to get himself sacked? The suggestion had been gaining currency.
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There were many in football who felt, long before United recruited him, that it was a bad fit.
A pragmatist who never stays long, joining a club who like their managers to stick around, and to deliver football that excites as well as succeeds?
It was a risk, but it proved too tempting to pass over.
Memorable triumphs in his first spell at Chelsea, championships around the continent, two Champions Leagues. Maybe the self-anointed Special One could bring back the glory days that the world's richest club had taken for granted under the 27-year reign of Sir Alex Ferguson.
There were occasional glimpses but nothing more.
United did win the League Cup and Europa League in his first season, but they and their enormous worldwide fanbase expect more than secondary trophies.
And there was no silverware at all in the second season, ending in May this year.
That should temper talk about Mourinho's "third season syndrome". That is indeed when it all went pear-shaped at some of his previous clubs.
This time, there were no great heights for the manager to fall from.
In the summer, the United hierarchy under executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward refused to sanction Mourinho's requests to recruit a number of high-profile defenders, considering them overpriced and/or too old.
The manager complained publicly and went on doing so, while also openly criticising his players in situations where Sir Alex would have protected them.
Expensive 2018 signings like Alexis Sanchez and Fred have barely been sighted.
The relationship issues and strange team selections would have been tolerated if results were on target; the paltry seven wins from 17 league matches might have been accepted if the board sensed a manager and squad working harmoniously towards improvement.
In combination, the two problems were too toxic even for a board who dispense with managers reluctantly.
Mourinho walks away with a hefty compensation cheque but a damaged reputation.
Not quite so special any more.