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Pressure is mounting on the incumbent Manchester United manager following the 3-0 defeat at home to Spurs. While the Glazers and Ed Woodward continue to back their manager for now, they will not be afraid to make changes should the situation spiral out of control like it often does in Mourinho's third seasons at clubs.
If things do go out of control and Mourinho is indeed sacked, then Zinedine Zidane who has been out-of-work since leaving Real Madrid at the end of last season would be the first choice of the Glazers to replace him.
Reports have indicated that Zidane has told his friends that he would like to succeed Jose Mourinho at Manchester United as early as next season
Arguably the most eligible manager out of work now, majority of United fans would personally pay his flight ticket and roll up a carpet from Manchester airport to Carrington if that's what it takes to entice him to United.
What's not to like about him? He has had a stellar CV in his short career, he is an affable character, would get players on his side, will bring attacking football back to Old Trafford, and would be the commercial face Ed Woodward yearns for.
While there is much to like about the Frenchman, and he might yet prove to be a success in the Premier League, there are still question marks regarding his ability to make the grade in the Premier League.
Below are three reasons why Zidane should not succeed Mourinho at Old Trafford.
#1 Unproven
This might seem a bit churlish to say about a manager who has won three back to back Champions Leagues in his three year managerial career, but the harsh reality is that Zidane is still a bit unproven.
He was thrown in the deep end at Real Madrid, and he not only steadied the ship, but also steered it in the right direction to unprecedented heights, but still there are lingering doubts about his managerial abilities.
He was helped by the fact that the squad he inherited at Real Madrid had world class players in every position, and there were very few in-comings and out-goings during his time at Real Madrid.
The squad he would inherit at The Theatre of Dreams will be a comparatively weaker squad in need of surgery. There are doubts as to whether he could mould a squad in his image, and his ability to transform a club is still untested.
#2 Poor domestic record
Zidane excelled in the Champions League as a player, and it has been no different as a manager so far, as he became the first one to win three back to back Champions League titles.
With great achievements come caveats, and Zidane suffered from the same problem as his one time boss Carlo Ancelotti. He was unable to translate his European success to the domestic stage.
Although he won the league in his second season, his domestic record in the first and third seasons were less than impressive. He had a disappointing title defence last term, finishing 17 points behind eventual winners Barcelona.
While it has been exactly 10 years since United last won the CL, and you need to be at least in the final stages every year to be truly considered an elite club, it's the league title that United fans most crave for, especially now that their noisy neighbours won it at a canter last term.
Zidane falls short in this regard. Although he would guarantee European success at United, his managerial record suggests that he would likely not be able to bring that elusive PL trophy back to Old Trafford.
#3 Rumblings with the board
Part of the reason why Mourinho was appointed at United when there were misgivings within the board about his stability was that club needed a quick fix to steady the ship, and there is no one better at this than Mourinho.
United very well knew that Mourinho never lasts more than three seasons at a club, and brings problems as well as trophies, yet they wanted someone to re-instill the winning mentality as they waited patiently for his long term successor.
Zidane might seem an affable character, but he is a stern man on the inside who did not give in to Perez's demands when it was unreasonable. Whether it be selling favourite James Rodriguez, or benching Isco and Bale in favor of Asensio and Vazquez.
It was not a big deal as long as the trophies were coming, but as Madrid stuttered domestically last season, and as Zidane's transfer targets were vetoed, it was the final straw for the Frenchman who got tired of his president's antics, and decided to leave
While the owners at United do not interfere in footballing matters as much as Perez at Madrid, the blatant refusal of Woodward to back Mourinho in the market, and keeping the players Mou wanted to sell, as well as offering them new contracts, showed that he doesn't have faith in the manager.
Zidane walked away from Real Madrid when he felt he was being undermined, and would not hesitate to do the same at Old Trafford if the Glazers continue their recent strategy of prioritising commercial success over on field success.
Changing managers constantly without changing the flawed recruitment strategy will not yield success, even if a manager who successfully maintained egos at Real Madrid for three years is appointed.
