Manchester United will be expecting to make it third time lucky in their attempt to replace Alex Ferguson with the appointment of Jose Mourinho as the club’s new manager.
Ferguson’s retirement in 2013 was always going to leave an enormous void to fill at Old Trafford after the legendary Scot bowed out as a Premier League winner, taking his tally to 25 major honours in his 27-year reign as manager.
More than that, Ferguson’s character, methods, discipline, loyalty and fierce will to win were ingrained throughout a club that regards itself as the biggest in the world.
It was always said following Ferguson would be the impossible job, and it has turned out to be too big for two men: David Moyes and Louis van Gaal.
Moyes lasted just 12 months before making way for Van Gaal, who was denied a third year in the post when he was sacked in the aftermath of United’s FA Cup final win over Crystal Palace, the first honour the club had won since Ferguson called it a day.
Finishing fifth in the Premier League and failing to qualify for the Champions League, along with a diet of uninspiring football, proved to be Van Gaal’s undoing and paved the way for the appointment of Mourinho on a three-year contract.
“Jose is quite simply the best manager in the game today,” said United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward.
United are therefore doing their best to take no chances in hiring a manager who, as near as it gets in the modern game, is guaranteed to bring success.
The Portuguese, 53, has won multiple league titles in England, Spain, Italy and Portugal and led both Porto and Inter Milan to success in the Champions League. He has managed the big beasts of Real Madrid and Chelea, twice, in the Roman Abramovich era.
He has long since coveted the United managerial job and, having finally got his wish, the hard work starts here.
This current United side is not so much one in transition as one, arguably, still in decline.
Van Gaal spent around £250-million (329 million euros, $365 million) on adding to the squad he inherited but this season they finished one place lower in the league and went out of the group stages of the Champions League.
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