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For someone who is rather accustomed to being in the headlines, for the most part, Jose Mourinho has been under the spotlight once again for several reasons even before the new season kicked off.
From firing the occasional rifle at Ed Woodward in the press conferences to speaking about Manchester City’s ‘lack of class’ (a reaction to Mourinho being talked about in their docu-series) and waging war with the media, it’s safe to say that the season has gotten off to an entertaining start.
With the former Inter boss is the bookies’ favourite to be the first Premier League manager to be sacked this season – due to his track record of third seasons in the past, growing concerns about losing players in the dressing room such as Paul Pogba and Anthony Martial, and most importantly his extended, continuing feud with Ed Woodward and the board over transfer targets.
If history is to repeat itself and the Portuguese is shown the door at any point in or after the season, who are the potential replacements that fit the bill for the job at the helm of Manchester United?
#3 Zinedine Zidane
A man that needs little introduction, the legendary Frenchman is a potential name being thrown around by the French media for the Old Trafford job. This appointment could be accompanied by both excitement as well as skepticism.
Zidane is fresh off a ‘Three-peat’ of the Champions League, winning Europe’s most coveted title three times in as many years with Real Madrid, an unprecedented achievement in the Champions League era. He also has a league title to show for, leading Real to their first league title since the days of (ironically) Jose Mourinho.
Yet, the obvious flaw would be the fact that Manchester United have nowhere near the quality in their squad as Real Madrid. Zidane’s Real Madrid have arguably been one of the finest group of players of the 21st century with the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, Sergio Ramos and so on.
United could possibly have the potential waiting to be harnessed and most certainly do have the financial backing to build a great side, but unfortunately, do not possess that tailor-made quality that was available to the Frenchman at Real Madrid.
This essentially makes it a risky appointment. Added to this, Zidane hasn’t been put to the sword by a squad much less talented than Real Madrid’s, and that his managerial experience outside the Santiago Bernabeu is non-existent.
On the optimistic front, he has already exhibited his calmness and excellent man-management ability which could benefit the club heavily, especially the likes of Paul Pogba and Alexis Sanchez.
Being a World Cup and Champions League winning player and one of the most historic Champions League winning managers has its perks and Zidane is nearly a fool-proof manager in terms of keeping hold of the dressing room.
His availability also adds to the intrigue of this being a possibility.
#2 Antonio Conte
In the 15 years that Roman Abramovic has owned Chelsea for, he has overseen 12 different managers take charge at Stamford Bridge with varied levels of success.
Antonio Conte began his Premier League career with a dominant, bullish title charge and succeeded, winning 31 out of a possible 38 fixtures in the process, and guided Chelsea to the FA Cup final.
It is quite the commendable achievement considering that they had a rocky start with heavy 3-0 losses to Arsenal and Liverpool and that Conte had never managed in the English top flight before.
Chelsea, under the former Juventus boss, were a force to be reckoned with both offensively and defensively, with his three-at-the-back system being undoubtedly the most effective rendition of the system in the country.
Every manager from Pep Guardiola to Jose Mourinho to Arsene Wenger had at some point of the season attempted to set their team up with three centre-halves at the back but Conte’s Chelsea had become pioneers of the system practically overnight.
Eventually, a poor performance by the London club in the transfer market came back to haunt them and the Italian, with a fifth-placed finish and an FA Cup final in his second season before parting ways. The squad wasn’t improved to deal with the added pressure of Europe – with the only major changes being Alvaro Morata replacing Diego Costa and Timoeue Bakayoko replacing Nemanja Matic.
If United truly harbour ambitions to win the league, Conte would present a very stable option for Woodward. His resurrection job at Juventus to take them from an ageing and declining side to three Scudettos in three years is nothing short of phenomenal.
Added to that, his work at Chelsea – for all the criticism he drew for being too defensive in his approach – is beyond respectable. His relation with Pogba from their Juventus days is an added bonus.
Conte’s most pressing issue with his last two jobs at club level (Chelsea and Juventus) was the fact that he wasn’t given the financial support that he demanded.
United have also shown similar hesitance in the transfer market this summer due to concerns over Mourinho’s long-term plans.
Should Conte be appointed with the long-term future in mind, though, backing in the transfer window should be quite realistically achievable.
Conte would be a fantastic appointment as far as the Premier League is concerned.
#1 Mauricio Pochettino
In theory, there are few managers in Europe that fit the bill for the job at Old Trafford better than Mauricio Pochettino.
The Argentinean manager at just 46 has been one of the most impressive coaches in the Premier League for more than three years now, especially after considering the circumstances he’s faced over that period.
Tottenham have a significantly lesser net spend in comparison to any of their elite rivals in the Premier League since Pochettino took over, who has been forced to work on the budget of a mid-table club and has been expected to achieve results of a top-four club.
Tottenham went from occasional contestants for a place in the top-four to Champions League regulars under Pochettino.
He has implemented a style of play that is not just exciting to watch and aesthetically pleasing, but also effective at the same time. The North London club also boast the joint-best defensive record over the last two years alongside Manchester United.
Pochettino’s guidance and mentorship have seen players such as Dele Alli, Harry Kane, Keiran Trippier, Ben Davies, Davison Sanchez and a host of others grow magnificently over time.
His time at Spurs has perfectly exhibited his ability to nurture young talent and play a style of football that would undoubtedly appeal to the Old Trafford faithful.
Added to that, of course, is the abundance of young players available at United with untapped potential waiting to be unlocked by different setups.
Of all the potential managers United appoint (should Mourinho lose his job), what makes Spurs boss Pochettino the most ideal man for the job is the fact that he can be appointed as a coach for the long term – a problem that United have been unable to find a solution since Sir Alex Ferguson’s departure.
The former Southampton manager has shown in North London his ability to work keeping the long-term future in mind which is a crucial aspect that has to be considered.
He’s built a squad that is future-proof and is undeniably top notch (should Spurs manage to retain their players summer after summer).
The glaring flaw with this appointment would be the lack of trophies won by the manager. For the commendable job he’s done at Spurs, he has no silverware to show for and that could potentially be seen as a concern.
Yet, he’s one of the few managers United could appoint even with a lack of a boastful CV due to his significantly positive work in the same league as United, and more importantly, with a top-six club. He is the closest opportunity United have at this point to re-ignite the values of the club inculcated and reiterated by Sir Alex Ferguson.
With an incoming Director of Football, United’s bankroll and a manager who is adept at nurturing young talents while playing an appealing brand of football, Pochettino is a tailor-made choice for Manchester United and Woodward to consider.
Who do you think should replace Mourinho if he is sacked? Sound off your opinions in the comments section below!
