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Its been a crazy season so far for Manchester United, with off-field squabbles dominating the headlines, and quite evidently affecting play on the pitch. Sitting in 10th position on the league table at the time of writing, they have lost 3 games and drawn 1 so far. That represents a monumental deficit so early in the season.
Manager Jose Mourinho's feud with erstwhile club vice-captain Paul Pogba has been well documented in the press, with a video clip of the pair apparently having a go at each other recently surfacing.
There are also reports of Pogba's French teammate Anthony Martial being disillusioned with life at the club, as well as recent rumours of a rift between club captain Antonio Valencia and Mourinho. The club captain has denied the rumours.
Ironically, however, Valencia recently liked an Instagram post criticising Mourinho, but he has since apologised.
All this points to Jose Mourinho losing the dressing room, with team displays in recent times evidently looking lacklustre. It also is eerily reminiscent of Mourinho's time at Real Madrid and his second stint at Chelsea.
Back then he had famous feuds with key members of his team, such as Iker Casillas and Sergio Ramos at Real Madrid, as well as Eden Hazard at Chelsea. That created a torrid time on the pitch for these clubs and ultimately led to the ousting of The Special One from both teams.
Manchester United fans are divided at the moment, with some asking for the ouster of the manager, while others are standing with the manager and blaming the club executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward for the mess, due to little or no transfer activity. Fans even paid for a banner labelling Woodward a specialist in failure to be flown past the stadium during an away league encounter.
Club legend Paul Scholes recently echoed the sentiments of a growing number of United fans by labelling Jose Mourinho an embarrassment to the club, due to his recent antics.
Ed Woodward needs to be decisive at this juncture, the club is still in with a chance in competitions such as the UEFA Champions League, and The FA Cup. Furthermore, Manchester United still has more than a fair chance of finishing in the EPL top 4.
Mourinho needs to be sacked and replaced with someone suitable in order to stem the worrying tide in the dressing room. The Special One had one job, and that was to manage. He's quite clearly failed at that, with his constant criticism of players and thinly veiled attacks at 'higher ups' now a constant theme of his pressers.
Manchester United ultimately comes first and giving Jose his reported £12 million severance package will be the first step towards steering the club in the right direction once again.
Not many suitable or capable managers are laying around with regards taking up the reins at England's most decorated football club. But one name sticks out like a sore thumb, and that is Zinedine Zidane. The erstwhile Real Madrid manager who is fresh from winning 3 consecutive UCL titles, is reportedly interested in the United top job.
Man Utd needs to move quickly though because recent reports suggest the former French captain is also wanted as CEO by his former team Juventus, as Beppe Marotta recently stepped down from the role.
Zizou would be a perfect fit for the United job because his resume suggests his biggest attribute is the ability to motivate players, as well as manage egos. Speaking of egos, they don't come bigger than the ones in the Real Madrid dressing room.
Zidane is a football legend who has won it all and done it all as a player and manager. Players typically tow the line when managed by such a figure, because they instinctively trust his instructions, believing it comes from a rich wealth of experience.
There has been a huge void at Carrington since the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson, and appointing Zizou could be just what the doctor ordered.
In my opinion, Fergie wasn't the most tactically astute manager, just like Zidane. However, he did know how to motivate and inspire his charges, as well as manage the burgeoning egos in the Old Trafford dressing room. Zidane is quite similar to the Scotsman in that regard.
With the looming interest in Zinedine Zidane from Turin, as well as the continued escalation of unrest in the Old Trafford dressing room, Manchester United must act quickly. Ed Woodward should swiftly secure the services of Zizou, and give Jose Mourinho his marching orders.
This is the right move, and time is clearly of the essence.
