5 reasons Mourinho would be a perfect fit for Manchester United

Louis van Gaal’s departure from Old Trafford increasingly looks like a matter of ‘when’ rather than ‘if’ As if walking out of a press conference was not enough, Louis van Gaal has invited further pressure on himself by losing to Stoke at the Britannia Stadium. If team performances are any judge of belief in the manager, the Dutchman has clearly lost it, making it only a matter of time before Manchester United hire a new manager.The prime target is, understandably, Jose Mourinho. Hurting from his Chelsea departure, Mourinho will know that looking for stability and long-term objectives is more commonplace at Old Trafford.In that respect, his marriage with Manchester United might be perfectly-timed, but reservations regarding the Portuguese still remain.Here are 5 reasons why United should look past his shortcomings and bring him before it is too late for next season’s Champions League qualification hopes.

#1 Proven Winner

Mourinho has won trophies extensively wherever he has coached so far

Unlike van Gaal, Mourinho is a proven entity in the Premier League. He knows what it takes to win in England and his arrival almost guarantees securing the league title in the next three years.

The Old Trafford hierarchy might not view Mourinho as a long-term option, but having him along with a director of football would be a prudent option. The Red Devils have a strong fan-following worldwide and enough resources to attract star players, but all this might not last if the team stops winning or even featuring in major competitions (as in this year’s Champions League).

While it is always beneficial to keep one eye on the future (and cast the same eye suspiciously on Mourinho), it is United’s first team that needs redressing the most, for which Mourinho is perfect. There are few better than the former Real Madrid manager when it comes to assessing a team’s weaknesses, buying quality players from the transfer market accordingly and converting it into a title contender within two years.

#2 Ability to motivate

Mourinho’s motivational prowess could be just want the jaded United players need

Manchester United’s players look woefully short of confidence at the moment. Saturday’s loss at Stoke City was yet another example of the Red Devils coming off second-best in a majority of the duels; not wanting the ball, even though they play a possession game.

In such a scenario, a motivator like Mourinho could work wonders. The ex-Inter man employs strategies to increase team unity and create a ‘siege mentality’, which makes his teams stubborn in defence and ruthless in attack.

His abrasive personality and ‘us-against-the-world’ views sometimes backfire, as seen during his time at Real Madrid and Chelsea, but this is unlikely to happen in the United dressing room, where morale is at its lowest ebb.

One might say that Mourinho turns players into fighters- fighters who usually end up fighting against him. Fight, though, is what this Manchester United is lacking in, right now and having the ‘Special One’ around is certain to lift the spirits of players like Wayne Rooney, Memphis Depay and Ander Herrera.

#3 Counter-attacking football

Mourinho’s Real Madrid plundered a Liga record as they plundered 121 goals in a single season

Let’s face it- Mourinho is not going to provide free-flowing attacking football. His teams are usually set up to defend, counter-attack, score a goal or two and win the game.

He does dislike sterile possession though, evident in his 7-point plan for winning games, and sterile possession has been a glaring tactical weakness for United this season. Van Gaal’s team have looked listless with the ball this season, not finding space in possession and looking vulnerable off it.

Moreover, amid claims of ‘parking the bus’ and playing ‘anti-football’, Mourinho’s teams are rarely short of goals: his Real Madrid team of 2011/12 holds the record for most goals scored in a La Liga season (121). The 52-year-old is also an astute tactician and gives his players valuable insight on how to nullify opponents’ threat.

At the end of the day, Mourinho teams focus more on the result than the process. This prospect, although somewhat unromantic and certainly not befitting a vintage Manchester United team, will be welcomed by the United players, some of whom seem to be stuck up in the ‘process’ of playing football.

#4 Attracts world-class talent

Mourinho has successfully managed some of the biggest stars in world football

Mourinho’s presence guarantees success, the promise of which attracts talent worldwide. Ed Woodward, for whom the past few transfer windows have been extremely frustrating, will suddenly find deals going through smoothly with the Portuguese on his side.

Offers for players like Neymar, Gareth Bale and Thomas Muller look much more appealing when they know it is Mourinho who wants them. This might not be the case with other potential successors to Van Gaal, such as Ryan Giggs.

Mourinho’s ability to extract the best out of world-class players is an added bonus. He has successfully managed big-ego players like Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Samuel Eto’o, Cristiano Ronaldo and Mario Balotelli as well as players who constantly need reassurance like Wesley Sneijder and Mesut Ozil.

Needless to say, having Mourinho will maximize the chances of securing a high-profile target and ensuring its success at Stretford End. In other words, more players like Angel di Maria will arrive and most of them will stay beyond one season.

#5 Marriage at the right time?

Mourinho’s availability could be just what the doctor ordered for Manchester United

Jose Mourinho came back to London and Chelsea as the ‘Happy One’. On his arrival, he hoped to stay long-term at Chelsea and create, in his words, a ‘dynasty’.

There may be a case for the argument that the former Porto manager chose the wrong club for his lofty ambitions. Chelsea’s football team is run by dressing room politics and a manager inevitably gets the boot when players stop playing for him.

Manchester United is different. The most successful periods in the Red Devils’ history have coincided with managers of supreme character gracing the club, bringing in youth and serving long-term. In a nutshell, if Mourinho really wants a football dynasty, there is no place better than Old Trafford.

Whether Mourinho suits Manchester United’s demands, though, is debatable. His antics had Sir Bobby Charlton convinced that he was not fit to be a United manager. His inability to bring in youth is a major drawback and is one of the major reasons why he never stays for more than three years at a club.

His credentials, though, remain beyond doubt and passing up the opportunity to get the ‘Special One’, especially at a time when the red of Manchester could do with his knowledge of football, would be criminal. At the least, the man will deliver three years of success; at the most, he could live up to his promise and aspire to the level of Sir Matt Busby and Sir Alex Ferguson.

As of now, Jose Mourinho is a man ‘wronged’ by Chelsea, waiting to prove himself. What Manchester United can, and perhaps needs to do is provide him the stage and believe.