“I work for Manchester United and my career is going in the right direction,” he said. “It would have been exciting to take on a much bigger job than my current job, but I have a job at United.”

Two years later, when the time was right, Solskjaer was offered the job at Molde, where he went on to win their first ever league title in his first season.

Warren Joyce took over the Reserves, after joining our coaching staff from Royal Antwerp in 2006.

It has today been revealed that Joyce had been offered the Hull job, with Nigel Pearson ready to leave for Leicester, with Nicky Barmby as his assistant. Joyce, who is a bit of a legend at Hull, has turned down the opportunity to return. He captained the club the 1990′s and went on to be their player manager. Hull were bottom of the Fourth Division when he got the job but they managed to avoid relegation from the Football League with a few games to spare.

There were rumours that Paul Scholes would take over the Reserves if Joyce left but that obviously now won’t go ahead.

“Chelsea have just made one major signing in Juan Mata,” he said. “Besides, Chelsea’s squad is too old, and their tempo is not high enough to win the Premier League.”

This is in contrast to Fergie, who looks at their age as experience.

“They have tremendous experience – there aren’t any young kids in that team,” he said. “We wouldn’t be saying they are dead and buried would we? Why should they be? They’ll still be a big threat and we expect them to challenge.”

Lest we forget that it was Meulensteen who claimed Maarten Stekelenburg was the goalie we wanted, after a deal with David de Gea had already been agreed.

“Stekelenburg is indeed the goalkeeper who is at the top of our wanted list,” he said earlier this year. Hmm. Must try harder, Rene.

Fast forward several years…

Jose is now lauding it at Real Madrid, the other Biggest Club in the World. He has taken their once famous football philosophy, shoved it firmly in a skip, and has implemented the famous tactics he has successfully employed at Chelsea and Inter. Physical strength, coupled with rigid tactics, can defeat any opponent put in his side’s way. That is except the modern day Barcelona.

His teams’ actions, but more worryingly his own at the Community Shield of Spain in yet another El Classico, leaves an incredibly bitter taste in the mouth. Mourinho’s own attempt to take advantage of the melee that occurred in front of his dugout to go over to a Barca coach and gouge him in the right eye, well, I simply have never seen this happen in our game before. A manager, the leader, showing his troops exactly what they should be doing to their opponent. It disrespects football and frankly makes him look like a mental.

The relevance of writing about this of course comes from one of the stranger assumptions in English football, that is that Mourinho will indeed be the next United manager after Fergie hangs up his chewing gum riddled boots. People think several reasons point to this: That Jose ‘loves’ England; that Sir Alex and Mourinho are best, wine-quaffing buddies; that United would only want the most successful manager they could obtain; That United learned a generation of pain worth of a lesson after the end of the Busby era, employing men not fit to stand in the great warhorse’s shadow. It’s so simple! It can only be the Special One for the world’s Special Club?

Wrong.

When Mourinho was given his cards by Abramovich I would’ve taken him as our next manager in a heart beat. Football is a seductive business and trophies are a fan’s aphrodisiac. Jose knew how to win. We all want a bit of that. But what I’ve witnessed in the last few years of the man stinks. He’s still managed to maintain his levels of success, taking that Inter team to Champions of Europe. Well, who would have guessed? But the way they and he did it, playing that brand of Anti-Football, it simply turns me off. It’s like seeing that absolutely gorgeous woman from afar, only to get close to her and smell her stinking, rotten breath. There’s still going be loads of lads that will look past this and be happy with her, but us at United? We wouldn’t be able to get that stench out of our nostrils!

Does this make me and United fans who agree seem pompous? Maybe. But the fact remains. I don’t want to spend thousands of £s of my own money every season to follow a team that makes me want to fall asleep as soon as the first whistle is blown. Success is often taken as something that must be achieved at all cost. In many ways that is correct. But United, like Madrid, have a tradition. Porto, Chelsea and Inter are by no means small clubs. But they were teams starved of the biggest trophies, desperate to get up that ladder at any cost. Jose preys on this. He delivers the gold and you pay him the booty he demands. He is the modern day pirate. As he did with both Porto and Inter “Here is your European Cup trophy, now I’m off to the next ship of fools.”

Mourinho will always be a man of success. He will always find a way and these are not traits of a bad manager. But I question the man. I question his integrity. Would we be happy for Sir Alex to go over and gouge at the eye of Villa-Boas? Of course not. It’s disgusting. There are many bad things happening in football and indeed the world at the minute, but as far as an isolated incident goes, with a manager on the touchline, it even makes Arsene Wenger mounting the Old Trafford dugout seem 100% sane and normal. It’s an act against the will of football. It’s sneaky and incendiary. It’s something that you may never see in top flight football again.

So I implore David Gill and his cronie bosses from across the pond to think hard about the Sir Alex exit strategy. The heart of Manchester United is what we’re considering here. We want success, of course we do, but do we need a man who now presents himself as an enemy against the Beautiful Game?

Ex-United player Gerard Pique said after the match the other night: “Someone has to take action, Mourinho is destroying Spanish football. It is going too far. This will end very badly.”

The man is totally right. Mourinho doesn’t care how Spanish football is viewed. He doesn’t even care if he is caught on video, reaching round a man’s face to claw his fingers into his eyeball. For Jose its just another act of war.

A certain Mancunian God once wrote a song called ‘Barbarism Begins At Home’. Lets hope our home, Old Trafford, avoids such an unlucky fate. If Mourinho wants to make football his slave and make it implode in chaos, let us not give him the Theatre of Dreams as his stage to do it.

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Follow Rob B on Twitter

“We are not looking at the moment but we are looking at combinations of central midfielders now at the club,” he claimed earlier this week, much to the horror of United fans.

Last season, the central midfield was crying out for a new addition, with United resorting to padding the midfield to compensate for the lacking quality. Now that Paul Scholes has retired and Owen Hargreaves has finally given up on his United career, the need should be even more pressing. Add to this the fact Darren Fletcher’s mystery illness has returned, it seemed insane that the manager would claim we would just have to muddle on with what we had already.

“At this moment in time I can’t see any other additions,” he said. “The type of players we may have been looking for are not available to us. So therefore I have to be happy with the players I have and carry on.”

David Gill has today claimed that there is still one more player we’re after, although we are not currently in talks with another club.

“We’re looking at one more player to bring in,” Gill told MUTV. “Nothing’s happening – nothing imminent – on that at the moment, but we’ll see what happens when we get home. There’ll still be 31 days of the transfer window to see if anything develops. But I’m not working on anything at the moment, in that respect. We’ve been looking at a particular position and two or three players in that position, but nothing’s imminent at the moment. But you never know – there’s often movement in August. I’m not sitting here saying I’m working on anything specific because I’m not, but that situation could change quickly when we get back to Carrington.”

Wayne Rooney was given a two match ban for swearing at the camera, despite the laws of football making no distinction between any sort of swearing. Law 12 states that abusive language warrants a red card, yet Rooney is the only player to have been given a three match ban for this season for breaking this law, despite the countless examples of players directing their abusive language towards match officials.

After Martin Atkinson yet again made disgraceful decisions to cost United all three points in a game between us and Chelsea, it was Sir Alex who was punished for criticising these decisions, not the referee for making them.

With other clubs players and managers getting away with exactly the same or similar behaviours, Gill rightly claims that United have been made an example of by the FA.

“I do genuinely believe there have been some poorish decisions that, in my opinion, wouldn’t necessarily have hit other clubs,” he said. “That’s not to say I’m condoning Wayne’s comments, because I don’t think they were correct, or what Sir Alex said because it wasn’t helpful. At the same time, the actual punishments were harsh. We’re possibly being caught up in being one of the biggest clubs and the ‘Respect’ agenda being there. What better way to demonstrate the authorities are being tough than by hitting one of the biggest clubs the hardest?”

———–
FA Target United – 8 Reasons Why Whelan Is Wrong
FA making an example of Fergie
The Mirror Takes Up SWEAR WATCH
FA contradict themselves with Dalgish’s swearing
PFA: Rooney punishment totally disproportionate

Forbes ranked us as the most valuable sporting franchise in the world, ahead of New York Yankees, Real Madrid and Dallas Cowboys.

“Well Forbes reckon we are the most valuable sporting franchise in the world…and they compare that with other football clubs, but also with the likes of the Dallas Cowboys and so on,” said Gill. “It [the valuation] is nearly $2 billion. Football is only going to get bigger. The World Cup gets bigger, the Euros get bigger, the Champions League gets bigger, the Premier League gets bigger. And so to be one of the leading clubs within that, we are going to benefit and make sure we continue to push forward.”

“Football without Alex Ferguson? I’m not sure that will happen any day soon,” said Mourinho. “The man lives and breathes football and Manchester United is his club. His hunger and desire to win the biggest trophies remains so I cannot see the day he considers walking away from football approaching. Like Real Madrid, the Manchester United job is special and only a ­special manager is good enough to take the job on if and when it does become available. Of course, jobs like that don’t ­become available every day so the interest will be vast. Like Madrid, it’s a job everyone will want.”

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The unavoidable next manager U-Turn

In summary: 1. Jose Mourinho inherited a great squad at Chelsea (finished 2nd in the league, reached CL semi-finals) yet after spending hundreds of millions on players over several years, left them with a much weaker squad. 2. The football he played with Porto, Chelsea and Inter was dire. Ultra defensive and ultra boring. 3. He had never developed youth. 4. His personality is dreadful. He brings shame to whichever club he is at with his rants. (lying to the world’s media saying he saw Rikjaard enter referee Frisk’s office, before later admitted he never saw such a thing/laying in to young lad Ronaldo over his education and class/claiming that title rivals Roma would pay off their opponents on the last day of the season to fix the title etc.) No class whatsoever. 5. His success has always been with team’s that have their foundation built – Porto finished 2nd by 1 point season before he got the job, Chelsea finished 2nd and reached the semi-finals of Europe, Inter were champions for the previous two seasons. What if United don’t have such a strong foundation when Ferguson finally leaves? 6. He makes his team’s success all about him. Compare the pictures of Inter’s CL win in 2010 to United’s in 2008. Mourinho is at the centre of everything compared to Fergie not even being in sight. 7. Sir Bobby Charlton and Bryan Robson were against his appointment.

Have things changed?

Transfers – Whilst at Chelsea, Mourinho did not do a good enough job in the transfer market. Michael Essien, Ashley Cole and Dider Drogba were his biggest successes, but all of them were obvious transfers who any manager in Europe would have wanted, if they had the money. He didn’t get any bargains and spent a vast amount of money on average or worse players. Khalid Boulharouz (£9m), Shaun Wright-Phillips (£21m), Asier Del Horno (£8m), John Obi Mikel (£16m), Paulo Ferreira (£13.2m). The players he did get at a bargain price were dreadful, like Steve Sidwell, Claudio Pizarro and Tal Ben Haim.

All managers make mistakes when it comes to transfers, Sir Alex included, but it’s been a long time since the dark days of Kleberson (£6.5m) and Djemba-Djemba (£3.5m). The more recent bargains of Evra (£5m), Vidic (£7m), Ji-Sung Park (£4m) etc. put Jose to shame.

Given United’s financial restraints, there’s no way United could afford to blow the money Mourinho did.

However, his transfer record at Inter Milan has painted his abilities to bring in good players at a good price in a better light.

It’s hard to argue with deals like offloading Zlatan Ibrahimovic + £40m for Samuel Eto’o, Wesley Sneijder for £13m, Diego Milito for £20m, Lúcio for £4.5m.

At Real Madrid, a club notorious for throwing money about, he’s secured some more great transfers. Ángel di María for £25m, Pedro León for £8m, Sami Khedira for £12m, Mesut Özil for £13m, Sergio Canales for £4m and David Mateos Ramajo for £300k, which is pretty good going for one summer’s work.

In conclusion, he wasn’t good enough in the transfer market at Chelsea but has gone some way to proving himself in the years since then.

Playing style – At Porto, Chelsea and Inter, the style of football was woeful. Whilst he proved a success at all three clubs, the idea of watching that dross week in week out was pretty unimaginable. We’ve been spoilt in the Fergie years but a club like United shouldn’t have to sacrifice style for success. When you look at the football Roberto Di Matteo has West Brom playing, it’s hard to excuse Mourinho’s preference for dull football at clubs like Chelsea and Inter where he’s had money to spend.

The argument against this, from those in favour of Jose, claimed that he would be expected to play entertaining football at United, that he would have no choice. That’s a fine argument but if Jose had never employed attacking or entertaining tactics, how did anyone know he could be a success this way? Sam Allardyce’s teams play the same, Rafa Benitez’s teams play the same and looking at Mourinho’s managerial experience, his teams played the same too. Managers stick with what they know and Mourinho knew defensive football.

However, with limited reference to Real Madrid, Mourinho is proving that he can change his style and be a success. Of course, we’ll have to wait until the end of the season to see how far it gets him, but on current form, you can’t help but be impressed.

People can argue that it would be hard not to score goals and play well with such a wealth of talent in the team, but he managed to do just that at Chelsea and Inter. Real Madrid, like United, demand style in their play, and Mourinho is meeting that demand.

Real Madrid are currently the only unbeaten team in La Liga, scoring 22 goals in 8 games (an average of 2.75 goals per game) yet still have defensive strength, conceding just 4 goals (an average of 0.5 goals per game).

In Europe, they have won all three games they’ve played, against AC Milan (currently 2nd in Serie A), Ajax and Auxerre, winning 2-0 twice and 1-0.

Youth – Mourinho’s policy always seemed to be to buy established players, at the peak of their career and a wealth of experience under his belt.

This policy has changed since joining Real Madrid, with him opting to buy young players to develop. This is obviously not a Real Madrid way of doing things, so his own preference.

Ángel di María (22), Pedro León (23), Sami Khedira (23), Mesut Özil (22), Sergio Canales (19) and David Mateos Ramajo (23).

Juan Carlos, who has been at the club since he was 16, was given his first team début this season. Like Ferguson at United, Mourinho is using the group stages of the Champions League to introduce players from the youth team.

“It is always good that the coach likes me, I thank him for the opportunity he has given me, and I hope that I can continue,” said Carlos after the game.

Also, with the UEFA rule change insisting a proportion of homegrown players, Mourinho would have no choice but to take our youth policy seriously.

Which things haven’t changed?

Personality – This can’t be reconciled. For me, I don’t like the guy. He is severely lacking in class and is massively self-obsessed. People reckon he comes out with his controversial statements and puts his face in front of the cameras to take pressure off his team but I just don’t buy it. He loves himself and behaves in a way that draws the attention to himself. His behaviour after beating Barcelona in the semis and then Bayern Munich, was his usual ‘look at me’ routine, which I abhor. Was this to deflect pressure off his team? Obviously not. Whilst I think any successful manager deserves praise, he goes out his way to make himself centre of attention and to get people talking about him.

However, if Wayne Rooney has taught us anything, it’s that you don’t have to love everyone at your club. Cristiano Ronaldo taught me a similar lesson a couple of years before. Your most important player might be a total arsehole, he may behave like an idiot off the pitch, he may mess your club about behind the scenes, but their commitment and ability to make your club a success is all important.

The same has to go for the manager in this respect then. It’s not as if Sir Alex is overwhelmingly popular and always behaves in a way that makes us proud.

Mourinho will always be a dickhead, but he may well be our dickhead, and whilst I wouldn’t enjoy seeing him bring our club in to disrepute, it would be fairly amusing to watch him rub all our rivals up the wrong way.

You would also imagine that under the watchful eye of Sir Alex, who will no doubt go on to have some role within the club, his more outrageous remarks would be curbed.

Successful foundation – Real Madrid are the fourth major club Mourinho has taken charge of which already were in a brilliant position. They finished last season with an incredible 96 points, which would have been enough to win any other season comfortably and have one of the best squads in world football.

When Sir Alex retires, we may not be in as good shape as Real Madrid, Inter, Chelsea and Porto were when Mourinho got the job. If we aren’t and he doesn’t have the money to spend, he will be put in to a situation where he is totally unproven. But that is ifs and buts and not a strong enough argument to keep him out of the club.

Conclusion

I’d still prefer someone like Pep Guardiola, who has again been linked with the job in the past week, who has been a great success, employs beautiful football, and is so classy, but I’m happy to concede that Mourinho replacing Ferguson isn’t the disaster I’ve always claimed it would be.

This is obviously a premature reaction, given that we’re only a few weeks in to the season, however in just a short space of time at Real Madrid Mourinho has already started to right the wrongs of his career which I believed made him ill qualified for the United job.

The fact that he is so desperate for the United job obviously adds weight in Mourinho’s favour. For him to recognise what a massive club we are and to have a clause written in to his Real Madrid contract to release him purely to become manager of our club certainly makes it easier to approve his arrival at United.

Aside from all his strengths and failings mentioned above, the overriding and undeniable factor is his ability to make his players believe in themselves. I wouldn’t want a team of players with an attitude like John Terry, who Mourinho enabled to believe in himself a little too much, but to have a team of players who are always looking to be successful, always want to win and always believe in their ability to do that. Sir Alex has created this culture at United and there probably isn’t a better man in the world to continue that on.

I’m not great at changing my mind and even worse at publicly admitting that I’ve changed my mind but his performance at Real Madrid, answering the questions that have been asked of him on this blog, meant the U-Turn in thought was unavoidable. My apologies to the staunch anti-Mourinho brigade who I’ve abandoned…

“On the 14th we announced two objectives which needed to be satisfied. They were to qualify for the finals and to qualify for the elimination phase. Even though these objectives were met, we thought the result fell short of what we expected. After analysis it was decided to terminate Queiroz’s contract immediately.”

Portugal currently sit 4th out of 5 in their Euro qualifying group, behind Cyprus, after losing 1 and drawing 1.

I do wonder if Queiroz is a man whose eyes are too big for his belly. After wolfing down a respectable about at the all you can eat buffet, he’ll always go up for that one plate too many that makes him throw up.

At a certain level, he is excellent, but beyond that, he’s punching above his weight, as stints at Real Madrid and Portugal have shown.

Maybe I’ve being unkind, he didn’t get much of a chance in Madrid, thanks to the president at the time, Florentino Perez, who sold Makelele behind Queiroz’s back and wouldn’t back Queiroz’s decision to sign Pepe, amongst other things. Then with Portugal, the 6 month ban he stupidly brought on himself didn’t help, but Portugal had a disappointing World Cup. Although, didn’t everyone? It’s not as if even Spain or Holland set the world alight.

But at a lower level, Queiroz did a great job, first with the Portugal U-20. The Portuguese “Golden Generation”, which included the talents of Luis Figo and Rui Costa, was attributed to his scouting. His work with the Under-20s in Portugal, discovering talent, saw them develop and as the first team years late, reach the 2000 European Championship semi-finals, then finalists 4 years later, as well as the 2006 World Cup semis.

Then at United, as our number 2, he was fabulous. There’s no way we would have won the European Cup in 2008 if not for the tactics he brought in. Fancy being able to keep Barcelona at bay at the Nou Camp and Old Trafford?

I don’t blame him for leaving us either time. I think they are probably the only two jobs he would leave us for and they both happened to come up. He knew if he stayed as our number 2 he would probably get the United job one day, but he knew Sir Alex well and knew “one day” could be a long way away.

It’s a shame though because his career will most likely peter out when he could have been a part of lots more massive success at United.

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Would you still have Carlos Queiroz as United manager?

“Wayne came back to us a little bit dishevelled from his England exploits,” said Phelan. “But as long as you keep your head up and keep persevering, things like this will happen. Strikers can’t score every week, much as they would like to. Hopefully now he can relax, enjoy his football and carry on from where he left off. He is not 100 per cent fit yet. He is still short on certain aspects of his game but that will come. Now he has got a couple of games with his national team and that will possibly help him.”