United sack Mourinho in bid to turn season round

MANCHESTER: Manchester United sacked manager Jose Mourinho on Tuesday after the club’s worst start to a season in nearly three decades, hoping to bring about a radical change in atmosphere and the direction of the club.Mourinho, 55, became increasingly spiky in his last few months at Old Trafford, lashing out at the board’s transfer policy and turning his fire on his squad, especially record signing Paul Pogba.His constant complaints about the players’ lack of desire had an impact on the pitch, culminating in the 3-1 defeat by Premier League leaders Liverpool on Sunday which left United 19 points behind their opponents.Mourinho’s sacking comes just two-and-a-half years into his tenure and three years and a day since Chelsea dismissed him just months after he had guided them to the title.Former United striker Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, currently in charge of Norwegian club Molde, is reportedly being considered for the role of caretaker manager until the end of the season.Mourinho’s dismissal saw shares in the US-owned club rise on Wall Street by more than five percent to $18.18.Former players such as Rio Ferdinand and Patrice Evra expressed hope a change in management would bring a marked change in atmosphere.“The club needs an injection of positivity and hopefully this decision will allow that to happen,” Ferdinand posted on Instagram.United’s worst start in the league since 1990 means even Mourinho’s ambition of finishing in the top four and a Champions League qualification spot is in danger.The club has reached the Champions League knockout stages, where they face an intimidating last-16 tie with Paris Saint-Germain, but a combination of poor results, dressing-room discord and criticism of the board proved potent factors in the decision to dismiss the Portuguese manager.A United source told AFP that Mourinho had been supported in his efforts to sign players and described reports of player power at the club as being key to the sacking as wide of the mark.United will reportedly have to pay Mourinho £22.5 million ($28.5 million) to sever the ties.In the longer term former Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane has been linked to the club as has his fellow 1998 World Cup-winning team-mate Laurent Blanc, who played for United. Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino is also strongly tipped.One bookmaker makes Pochettino the early favourite although the 46-year-old Argentinian refused to be drawn on the speculation.“We know a lot of rumours happen. But it’s not my business what happens in another club now,” he said at a press conference on Tuesday.Pochettino, though, fits the bill for former Manchester United midfielder Gary Neville.“They need someone who meets the three key principles of that football club: the promotion of youth, entertaining football and to win football matches,” Neville told Sky Sports News.

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