New Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho has arrived in Manchester as gets set for his first official day as manager.
The 53-year-old took a late-night train from London to Manchester Piccadilly last night, posting an Instagram video when he arrived at his destination in the early hours of Monday morning.
“I am here/UNITED we can,” he posted with the short clip.
He then headed to the Lowry Hotel with his entourage, before leaving the next morning at 7.50am to get started on his new job.
Mourinho was appointed as Louis Van Gaal’s successor in May, days after the Dutchman won the FA Cup, as he paid the price for missing out on qualification to the Champions League.
The Portuguese began last season as Chelsea boss, but was sacked in December as the Blues’ title defence faltered.
But Mourinho has wasted no time in beginning to strengthen the Red Devils squad, having already signed defender Eric Bailly and striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Armenian midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan is arrive this week, while Paul Pogba is also being strongly linked with a return to Old Trafford.
In terms of departures, goalkeeper David de Gea appears likely to remain, while Juan Mata has been linked with a move to Everton, after he was sold by Mourinho at Chelsea.
Mourinho must also make do without United stalwart Ryan Giggs, who last week left the club after 29 years as a player and coach to pursue his own managerial career.
City yesterday unveiled their new manager Pep Guardiola, who Mourinho knows all too well from his time in Spain, when they pair were in charge of Barcelona and Real Madrid.
The pair endured a fractious rivalry in La Liga and Guardiola appeared to take an early pop at his old rival in a Q&A session with fans.
“In this room, he’s the f****** chief, the f****** man, the person who knows everything about the world and I don’t want to compete with him at all,” he said.
Mourinho won La Liga with Real in 2012 before Guardiola’s sabbatical and will hope he can continue to win the duel between the pair.
Mourinho’s Manchester United in-tray
Get the dressing room onside
The priority for Mourinho must be bringing unity to a dressing room that was teetering on mutiny in the final days of Van Gaal’s reign. Prior to his appointment there were stories of senior players voicing concerns on behalf of team-mates and the bizarre tracking of emails to players: hardly a culture likely to foster success.
Mourinho can be an abrasive character, of course, but he inspires a fierce loyalty in those who buy into his methods. If he can create the kind of us-vs-them atmosphere that has been missing since Sir Alex Ferguson’s time at Old Trafford, it will go a long way.
Clear out the dead wood
United’s squad is a funny thing: an odd-and-sods mix of players left over from the Ferguson years, a number of stopgap signings and a few footballers of genuine quality. The spine – David De Gea, Chris Smalling, Wayne Rooney, Anthony Martial – is there, but the tree needs pruning before it can grow afresh.
We all know Mourinho doesn’t have a great deal of time for Juan Mata, but there are more pressing concerns over the likes of Bastian Schweinsteiger, Marcos Rojo, Morgan Schneiderlin, Phil Jones, Marouane Fellaini and Memphis Depay. Mourinho must decide – and quickly – who can be moved on this summer.
Strike a balance with history
Mourinho and United are, on the face of it, not the perfect match. This is a club that has always prided itself on its attacking philosophy and a commitment to promoting young talent; Mourinho is a master of backs-against-the-wall football and has spent much of his career refusing to put his faith in kids.
Something’s got to give. The turgid performances under Van Gaal have probably reset expectations at Old Trafford somewhat, which is in Mourinho’s favour. But he will need to play the likes of Rashford and Cameron Borthwick-Jackson or risk a backlash from supporters.
Answer the Wayne Rooney question
Mourinho is a big fan of Rooney and tried to sign him for Chelsea during his time at Stamford Bridge. So there’s no doubt that the Manchester United captain will remain a key player under the new manager.
But what about Rooney’s role? The 30-year-old has been used in midfield since returning from injury, but that could just be because Van Gaal had lost faith in the likes of Schneiderlin and Ander Herrera. But with some summer investment, he could well be shunted forward, where Rashford and Martial have been shining.
Restore some belief at Old Trafford
Many United fans showed impressive loyalty to Van Gaal, even as he was being panned by former players and neutrals. But it cannot be denied that belief in the side has ebbed away over the last couple of years (and, to be fair, during the David Moyes era), to the extent that tedious performances have come to be seen as the norm.
Tactically, Mourinho is no great entertainer. But a little bit of trademark spark on the touchline will go a long way to restoring a positive atmosphere.
Let the results do the talking
When Mourinho returned to Chelsea in 2013, he was at pains to stress that he was keen to build a legacy. “I’m one of you,” he told the fans, and it really did seem like he was going to be there for the long haul.
We all know what happened next, of course, and perhaps it was naive to expect the master of the short-term, scorched-earth managerial stint to morph into a Ferguson figure. But still, the sheer ugliness of his downfall – the Carneiro affair, the infighting – raised a few eyebrows.
He will get into scrapes at United. It’s his nature. But Mourinho must make sure the results do the talking first and foremost. If he brings success on the field, he will be forgiven his foibles.
