“Jose, 53, has managed at the top level of European football for over a decade and in that time has won league titles and cups in four countries [Portugal, England, Italy and Spain], as well as winning the Uefa Champions League twice – in 2004 with FC Porto and in 2010 with Inter Milan”, read a statement on United’s website. One is the past three years and another is the club’s history.
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The first reports that Mourinho would officially replace Louis van Gaal, who was sacked on Monday, emerged on Saturday, but the deal was reportedly held up as Mourinho and the club worked out conflicting endorsement deals.
Mourinho, with his win-at-all-costs attitude, is the flawless quick fix for United.
“What the fans are expecting me to say is I want to win and I think what the players need to hear is that I want to win”. I was pushed by that feeling to say sometimes things my clubs were not happy with.
“I think it’s very important and curious that I play so many times against Manchester United and I play so many times at Old Trafford with other clubs”, he said.
“I feel great. I think this comes at the right moment in my career”, said Mourinho.
“I think we can look at our club now in two perspectives”, he told Man United’s TV channel MUTV.
Mourinho’s appointment should inject new life into the club and the former Chelsea boss has promised to give his all to bring the Red Devils back to the glory days. That tenure unraveled in its third year, which is not uncommon for Mourinho.
It’s not the sort of comment likely to ever be uttered by Mourinho, and the two derbies will now be the first dates that fans look for when next season’s fixtures are released on June 15. He is now entangled in a legal case with former Chelsea team doctor Eva Carneiro, whom Mourinho undermined by accusing her of being “naive” for treating an injured player on the field during a Premier League game. It could be his first public appearance as United manager. Since retiring as a player in 2014, Giggs has been United’s assistant coach but that role is set to be given to Mourinho’s long-time No. 2, Rui Faria.
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Mourinho and Guardiola had a volatile relationship during their time in charge of Real Madrid and Barcelona respectively – and now they will renew that rivalry next season. Mourinho should get similar financial support to make additions to a squad that has some obvious deficiencies.
