Jose 'The Special One' Mourinho is one of his kind. Footballing world has seen a lot of smart and successful managers in the history of the game, but none can come close to his captivating and contentious personality. Jose has literally won everything in the game from the Champions League to the Premier League to LaLiga to Serie A to FIFA World Coach of the Year award. He is the only manager in the world to win the treble twice with two different clubs in Europe.
Love him, hate him but you simply can't ignore him. Lately, the world has not been kind to Mourinho. Manchester United are going through some really rough phase recently and have struggled since the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson. Lot of fans were hopeful again when the Portuguese arrived in Manchester on 27th May, 2016. But he has failed to deliver this season and has been under heavy criticism for his poor tactics.
A series of sloppy performances by the Red devils has raised many questions and Jose finds himself at the heart of it. Many soccer pundits and fans are already asking for him to get sacked by January. If that turns out to be the case, here are the three managers who should replace him in my opinion.
3) Antonio Conte
Antonio Conte is the one who brought the glory back to Juventus during his tenure at the 'Old Lady' from 2011-2014 and also revolutionized the game with his 3-5-2 formation. He also started his Premier League campaign by lifting the title in his first season with Chelsea. Many believe him to be suitable replacement for Mourinho as he did in London.
Conte has his own style of playing football with three rock solid defenders along with two wide wingers who could support the running midfielders and strikers. This formation led him to three consecutive titles with Juventus and the same formation made him famous at the Stamford Bridge where he won the title in his first season.
Manchester United desperately need some reforms in the defense region. The Italian could be the one to take them out of their defensive miseries. We have to wait and see if 'The Godfather' comes to Old Trafford to rule the Premier League again.
2) Arsene Wenger
The most graceful manager in the history of the Premier League, Arsene Wenger is an exceptional talent. He was the major factor behind Arsenal's fascinating style of football. The Frenchman transformed English football forever with his beautiful, simple and flawless style of playing after he joined the Gunners.
Wenger won the Premier League title three times with Arsenal. His team remained unbeaten in the 2003-2004 winning campaign, earning them the title of 'The Invincibles'. We could witness the same transition in Manchester United if he lands at Old Trafford. His tactics and approach to the game is admired by many people around the globe. Wenger has inspired millions with his football and has excellent man management, unlike Jose.
Manchester United need a manager like him who can not only motivate his players to perform well but can also bring the limelight back to Old Trafford. Arsene Wenger must be willing to return to Premier League and Manchester United could be the best option for him to enrich his legacy in English football.
1) Zinedine Zidane
Zidane was one of the best footballers of his generation, who could torment any team with his skills and talent single-handedly. He has won all the major trophies in the world of football as a player and as a manager. His mental strength and dedication is what makes him incomparable.
His managerial stats with Real Madrid are quite astonishing. He also lead Los Blancos to three consecutive Champions League titles, setting his name in the history books as a manager. The Frenchmen left the club last year, five days after his Champions League triumph.
Zizou has been linked with Manchester United for quite some time now and I feel he will be the best replacement for the struggling Jose Mourinho. His fierce attacking mentality and lightening fast counter-attacking tactics might prove to be beneficial for the Red Devils. It will be an incredible sight for all the Manchester United fans all over the world, to see him in the managerial role, though it will take some doing to land him at the Theater of Dreams.