IS THIS THE END OF JOSE MOURINHO?

Image credit: TalkSport

Football managers are a rare breed. The very best ones are self-confident, charismatic and obsessive workaholics. They are leaders of men and perfectionists who obsess about every minute detail because at the highest level, there's a thin line between success and failure. So it is always rather alarming when the one thing they have zero control over, father time, hits like a bolt out of the blue. There is always something rather sad about watching the steady erosion of greatness and we might just be witnessing another example in the decline of Jose Mourinho.

The facts bear very grim reading indeed. This season Manchester United lost three games in a row in the same week and the last time a Mourinho team lost three consecutive competitive matches in a single campaign was in 2001/02. In total, Mourinho has lost 13 of his last 27 league games as a manager while his previous 13 defeats came over a span of 135 league games; the evidence against him is mounting. There comes a time when all the greats realise that they can no longer perform the way they used to and watching Mourinho, he seems so sedate and callow, especially when compared to his earlier days. His press conferences do not emanate the same excitement and his tactics seem much duller than usual. This negativity is beginning to erode his brand and perception is most usually a reality in the football business.

There is a new age of managers in the league right now, with the likes of Pep, Klopp, Pochettino and Conte. All of them are extremely animated on the touchline and their teams favour a high tempo style of play that makes Mourinho look dated. They seek to create and unleash the creativity of their players while Mourinho would rather destroy and stifle creativity. This new school of managers have hit like a tidal wave and one wonders whether Mourinho has the will to adapt. He seems too willing to swim against the tide, almost like he is in denial. He is not fully utilizing Paul Pogba’s gifts while he prefers to play Blind, Fellaini and Lindgard in big games instead of Shaw, Martial, Mata, Mkhitaryan and Schneiderlin. 

The wear and tear is starting to show on The Special One

Image credit: the Guardian

We are left to wonder whether the disaster of Chelsea’s title defense has cracked his self confidence to the point of no return. His major strength of being able to motivate and prepare his players seems to have deserted him as his fall out with star players like Hazard and Terry would suggest. It would be stupid to write him off at this stage but questions must be asked of his tactics and whether he can utilize the squad he has to its fullest potential. After all he has won trophies with less caliber players in the past. His Porto team conquered Portugal and Europe while his Inter Milan team won the treble. 

One thing that we do know is that if he fails to lead United into a glorious new era then he will be completely damaged goods. Football can be cruel and no one will know better about this than Mourinho. Having spent money to assemble the most expensive squad in world football he must deliver.