Ok, so David Moyes has been confirmed as the new Manchester United manager, but for a while it was Mourinho’s name which was being linked to the job.
It’s not going to happen this season, and probably never will, but just for fun here are my thoughts as to what the next 12 months could be like with the ‘special one’ in charge at Old Trafford. From this prediction it is probably a good thing for Man U fans Jose is staying away, but what would your predictions be? Please feel free to comment below.
June/July 2013- Mourinho leaves Real Madrid saying he enjoyed his time in the Spanish capital and will always have fond memories. Madrid fans are less than impressed with the selection of Rafa Benitez as the new interim coach, and Real staff is forced to defend Benitez saying he is “the right man for the job” and has the “necessary experience”. Cristiano Ronaldo leads the Real exodus and joins Manchester United along with Fabio Contrao, Angel Di Maria and Luka Modric. Man U fans are impressed with their signings and after Ronaldo scores a hat-trick in the 8-0 thumping Beijing Guoan in a tour of China, treble talk is in the air.
August 2013- Manchester United start the season well with a 1-0 victory in the Community Shield. Meanwhile Ryan Giggs announces his retirement, saying the club is moving in a direction he is not happy with and rumours of dressing-room bust-ups are circulating. Wayne Rooney, weeks after announcing on twitter he was happy to stay at Manchester United, leaves the club, signing for PSG.
September 2013- Man U are adapting to their new 4-3-3 system, with Ronaldo and Angel Di Maria playing a more defensive role. The red-devils comfortably win all their early fixtures and hold a 10 point lead going into the international break. Fans and critics are impressed with the new tight defence that is yet to concede a goal. The only concern is Robin Van Persie’s troubled form, as the Dutchman is yet to score and the team is increasingly turning to Ronaldo’s scoring form to grind out results.
November 2013- A crisis strikes Old Trafford. After five consecutive 1-0 wins, a resurgent Sunderland side finally beat the Reds, with Lee Cattermole injuring Ronaldo. Mourinho refuses to shake hands with Paolo Di Canio and casts a depressed figure in a press conference. The team then lose to Chelsea and Arsenal, who overtake the Red Devils to move into the Premiership lead. Mourinho publically says he is not feeling the pressure of the job and ignores critics who say his style is boring.
December 2013- Jose increasingly looks like he cannot be bothered with the job and seems less and less animated in interviews. The club are beaten to first place in the Champions’ League group stages by Mourinho’s old club Porto. Curiously Mourinho looks pleased at the result and is more upbeat than usual in the press conference.
January 2014- With Ronaldo still injured and Angel Di Maria proving a flop, Mourinho ignores the option of handing season debuts to Antonio Valencia and Ashley Young, and instead recalls Bebe and starts Nani. Bebe plays one match before Mourinho takes his chances with the semi-injured Ronaldo. With Luka Modric and Tom Cleverley noticeably fatigued from starting every game the club are linked to signing Juventus midfielder Arturo Vidal and Lazio wonder-kid Hernanes. Mourinho says both players are over-priced and over-rated, but eventually signs Hernanes for £35 Million.
March 2014- Rio Ferdinand finds himself increasingly being left-out and posts a twitter message slamming Mourinho’s selection policy. An awkward silence surrounds Mourinho, who is now refusing to talk to five British newspapers after headlines about dressing-room bust-ups appear. United’s form is patchy at best, with the league now turning into a Arsenal and Chelsea battle and with Champions league elimination at the hands of Borussia Dortmund, Mourinho announces he will leave the club at the end of the season.
May 2014- With United finishing fifth, and scoring a record low 47 goals, fans welcome Mourinho’s departure and welcome in David Moyes, whose Everton side finish third. The ‘Special One’ leaves £20 million richer and Moyes picks up the pieces of a Manchester United side built around Mourinho and Ronaldo.
Will Mata Follow @footyfriends
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