This could work.
Jose Mourinho is no longer the manager of Manchester United. The Portuguese coach was sacked by the club on Tuesday morning after two and a half years in the job.
Mourinho took charge of the team in 2016. In his first season, United finished sixth in the Premier League, won the Europa League and the EFL Cup.
Last season, they were a distant second behind Manchester City in the Premier League and lost in the FA Cup final to Chelsea.
Pochettino should be Man United's only choice to be the next manager. #MUFChttps://t.co/eTYpEcTPZe
— Robert Redmond (@RobRedmond10) December 18, 2018
However, it began to derail during this campaign. United didn’t sign the central defender Mourinho wanted in the summer and the team’s form fell off a cliff.
Despite having the biggest wage bill in the Premier League, United are currently sixth in the table with 26 points after 17 games. They are eight points away from the fourth-place team and 19 points behind league leaders Liverpool, who beat them 3-1 on Sunday. That defeat appears to have been the final straw for the United board.
The club’s statement, released on Tuesday morning, read:
“Manchester United announces that manager Jose Mourinho has left the club with immediate effect. The club would like to thank Jose for his work during his time at Manchester United and to wish him success in the future.
“A new caretaker manager will be appointed until the end of the current season, while the club conducts a thorough recruitment process for a new, full-time manager.”
Michael Carrick took training on Tuesday morning.
The former United midfielder will be appointed as acting interim manager for the next 48-hours. An external interim manager will then be appointed until the end of the season. His former teammate could be in line to take the job until the end of the season.
According to football journalist Mark Ogden, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been mentioned behind the scenes as a potential caretaker.
Ole Gunnar Solskjær was mentioned behind the scenes at United as a possible short-term replacement for Mourinho earlier this season. Still with Molde, but still potentially an option for caretaker role until summer.
— Mark Ogden (@MarkOgden_) December 18, 2018
The appeal of Solskjær to Utd is that he knows the club, can unite the supporters and has experience, but his six months at Cardiff were disastrous, so there are some reservations. Desperate times etc…
— Mark Ogden (@MarkOgden_) December 18, 2018
The former United striker is currently managing Molde in Norway. He was Cardiff City manager between January and September 2014 and oversaw the club’s relegation from the Premier League.
However, Solskjaer has the United pedigree the club are reportedly seeking for their caretaker manager.
Bit more on caretaker manager at United. Will be someone 'steeped in the traditions of the club'. Not Carrick, Butt, Neville G or P. Currently tying up loose ends with other interests which are not expected to present any issues. Announcement expected before weekend. #mufc
— Mike Keegan (@MikeKeegan_DM) December 18, 2018
The former Norway striker played for United between 1996 and 2007, scoring 126 goals in 366 games. He scored the team’s winning goal in the 1999 Champions League final.
Solskjaer was then United reserve team coach between 2008 and 2010.
As of lunchtime on Tuesday afternoon, former United defender Laurent Blanc is reportedly the frontrunner to be the caretaker manager until the end of the season.
