Many did not expect Jose Mourinho to return to Chelsea when he was sacked in 2007. Football is a highly unpredictable sport and it was shown back in 2013 when the Portuguese returned to Stamford Bridge after patching up his differences with owner Roman Abramovich. Just when it seemed that Mourinho would stay for a longer spell this time around, he was sacked in the middle of last season following a long spell of poor form. A highly successful manager, Mourinho did not take long to find a new home and it has been in the form of one of the biggest clubs, Manchester United.
Just as he said when he returned to Chelsea for a second spell, Mourinho has been talking about staying at Old Trafford for a long time. United are a club which sticks with their managers for a long time, but the possibility of Mourinho doing a Sir Alex Ferguson seem highly unlikely. The Portuguese would quite rightly have a time frame of at least five years at United. As he prepares to visit Stamford Bridge for only the second time as the opposition manager, Mourinho says that he is hoping to avoid a third stint at the club. According to Sky Sports, he said:
“I hope not [to return to Chelsea], honestly. Because I would like to stay [at United] for many many years. That would mean probably that I would not be searching for another club in the Premier League, so I hope not.
“I don’t expect a negative reaction, even going with a United badge and going to fight for points. There is no reason for a bad reaction. If they give me a good reception, I don’t know. I’m not their manager anymore. I represent a rival club.”
One of the big criticisms of Mourinho has been his longevity in his managerial career. He has never stayed beyond three years at the club, and his exits are usually acrimonious after having fought with a lot of personalities. The Portuguese has a huge unifying power when he comes to a club. It may be as a result of taking over at clubs that are already in a difficult situation or those just looking to elevate themselves to the next level. As a winner of several league and Champions League titles, Mourinho knows how to win at the cost.
United may have kept Sir Alex Ferguson for a long period, but it was only because the Scot consistently delivered trophies. David Moyes and Louis van Gaal learned this the hard way and Mourinho will be hoping to at least see out his four-year contract with the Red Devils.
After having made a mediocre start to the season, the club have been criticized recently for their tactics in big matches. Manchester United fans are learning about the pitfalls of having a defensive minded manager like Mourinho, but those disadvantages could be wiped away if the club wins a major trophy at the end of the season. At Chelsea, Mourinho never lost the faith among supporters largely because the club lacked a distinct identity of playing.
At United, things are different as Mourinho will always be compared with one of the best, Sir Alex Ferguson.
