"Mourinho had it in for the Man United style" - Ex-PL boss questions if Jose Mourinho had ulterior motive during tumultuous Manchester United reign

Ian Holloway has raised questions about whether Jose Mourinho was still reeling from missing out on being Sir Alex Ferguson's immediate replacement during his volatile Manchester United reign.

Mourinho took charge of the Red Devils from 2016 til 2018 and endured a topsy-turvy stint at Old Trafford. The legendary Portuguese coach oversaw a UEFA Europa League and League Cup win but there were many issues behind closed doors.

The current AS Roma boss clashed with Paul Pogba who he resigned for a then-world record £80 million from Juventus. He also made public his issues with left-back Luke Shaw's weight after his arrival from Southampton in 2014.

Holloway dived into Mourinho's reign in charge of Manchester United. The former Blackpool Town manager reckons the enigmatic coach was perhaps unhappy not to have been chosen as Ferguson's immediate successor. He told the Pitch Side podcast:

"I look back and think Mourinho had it in for the Man United style because he wasn't chosen first after Sir Alex finished. Then he goes and signs Pogba who Sir Alex let go for a lot of money. He (Ferguson) got rid of him because his attitude stank and then Mourinho brings him back."

Holloway alluded to the former Manchester United boss' work at Chelsea in which he helped Frank Lampard and John Terry become legends at Stamford Bridge. He compared his treatment of the Blues icons to that of Shaw:

"Was he right to tell Luke Shaw that 'you're a little bit overweight you need to work harder'? Probably, but when he first came over here, how he made Frank Lampard feel and John Terry feel and what he did for them was incredible. He is an incredible manager. But what you see behind the scenes is really difficult."

The Red Devils expensed £35 million for Alexis Sanchez from Arsenal in 2018 in a swap deal with Henrikh Mkhitaryan. The Chilean was made the highest-paid player in the league, reportedly earning £350,000 per week, per GIVEMESPORT.

Holloway added:

"I think he paid Sanchez too much and then that started the hell of 'that aint right, that aint right'. The minute you get that wrong you get everybody at your door."

The former Real Madrid coach was sacked by Manchester United in 2018 amid his side sitting 11 points off the top four. He has since moved to Tottenham Hotspur and is currently Roma's manager.

---

Manchester United icon Sir Alex Ferguson suggested Mourinho was already joining Chelsea when he retired

Sir Alex Ferguson claimed the Portuguese couldn't succeed him.

Many thought at the time of Ferguson's retirement in 2013 that Mourinho was one of the frontrunners to replace him. The Portuguese coach had just left Madrid and he was positioned as a top candidate alongside eventual successor David Moyes.

However, Ferguson claimed in 2015 that the Portuguese tactician was already headed to Chelsea. He said (via Sky Sports):

"It became apparent that Jose Mourinho had given his word to Roman Abramovich that he would return to Chelsea and that Carlo Ancelotti would succeed him at Real Madrid."

Manchester United turned to Moyes who departed Everton after fine work at Goodison Park. However, the English coach endured a dismal spell at Old Trafford, lasting just nine months. He oversaw just 26 wins and 15 defeats in 51 games.