Jose Mourinho, we can safely say, has had better weeks than this.
The Manchester United boss has been on the wrong end of plenty of criticism in the wake of his side’s shock Champions League exit to Sevilla on Tuesday evening.
His overcautious approach to the game – against a side that has as many league goals to their name this season as West Ham – has seen many United supporters question whether he is the right man to steer the club back to the top of the English and continental game.
Now, according to a report in the Daily Mail, it appears it’s not just some of United’s fanbase who are starting to doubt him.
Chris Wheeler writes that ‘senior figures’ at the club have doubts about the manager following the humbling at the hands of Sevilla, which came a mere six weeks after the Portuguese inked a contract extension at Old Trafford.
The report claims that Mourinho still has the absolute backing of Ed Woodward but also states that several board members were ‘uncomfortable’ with the team’s performance against the Spanish side. Domestically, they fear it could also be several years before the club mount a serious title challenge.
“Jose is not the manager we thought he was,” a senior source is quoted as telling the Mail on Wednesday night. “We are worried. We know the fans hate the football, and we won’t win the league for three or four years.
“He’s also too insecure and gets involved in things away from the football.”
Adding to this, the report also features a brief quote from a dressing room source who described the team as “not a happy ship.”
Out of Europe and with no realistic chance of catching Manchester City in the title race, United’s remaining hopes of winning a trophy this season lie in the FA Cup. They face Brighton in a quarter final at Old Trafford on Saturday evening.
