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What's the story?
Former Real Madrid player Predrag Mijatovic claimed that Jose Mourinho found himself 'alone' at Manchester United due to the absence of a sporting director.
In case you didn't know..
Mourinho lost his job with the Red Devils in December after a poor run of results in Premier League. Since then, the Portuguese manager is without a club and has taken up punditry role.
The former Real Madrid boss ended his time at Old Trafford in a disarray, with reports suggesting a player-manager rift with Paul Pogba and David de Gea, and breakdown of communication with United's CEO Ed Woodward.
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The heart of the matter
Jose Mourinho's friend, Mijatovic, explained what went wrong for 'The Special One' at Old Trafford by saying,
"Mou is a smart guy, as well as a great coach and a great friend. I am sorry for what is happening lately and I also think that it deserves a lot more respect than what is given to it."
"In the last clubs where he has been he has found himself very alone. He has missed a sports director. People believe the sports director is a figure who only works three months in summer. It is not true. He is a fundamental figure between the training group and the club's high levels, because there is often a need to bring the points of view of each other closer together. Someone has to mediate."
However, the lack of a mediator did not happen only when Mourinho was at United. Mijatovic also suggested that a similar thing occurred at Real Madrid.
"Mourinho, wherever he has been, including Real Madrid, has not had that person between the president and general manager, on the one hand, and technician and staff on the other. You as a coach can manage the problems with the club of some players, but not 25."
"You also need that person to say, 'You're wrong, mister' or to analyse with him a certain situation."
What's next?
Mourinho will share the punditry studio with former Arsenal manager, Arsene Wenger for beIN Sports during the Champions League final.
