Former Manchester United winger Lee Sharpe believes manager Jose Mourinho is the “wrong man for the job” and will be “gone before Christmas” after the team’s disastrous defeat to Brighton on Sunday.
“[Mourinho] is the wrong man for the job,” Sharpe told Press Association Sport.
“When he came to Chelsea the first time he was quite charming and fun, but now he just seems dour and fed up.
“He’s moaned about not signing new players and not bigging up the ones he’s got.
“The football’s not entertaining and what makes it twice as bad is that their two biggest rivals, Man City and Liverpool, do play exciting football.
“His negative style does not fit in with the expansive football that United fans want. I think he’ll be gone before Christmas.”
Ex-England international Sharpe added that Mourinho’s public fallouts with multiple players at the club – his relationship with captain Paul Pogba is the latest to come under scrutiny – would never have happened under United legend Sir Alex Ferguson.
“I do not think Mourinho has handled the Pogba situation very well.
“It was the same with Luke Shaw before that. Any views should be kept in-house and not appear in the press.”
Sharpe, who played for United from 1988 to 1996, referred to Mourinho’s accusations about rivals City lacking class, made after an Amazon TV series about City included several negative mentions of the United manager, while expressing his disapproval of Mourinho’s use of the media to criticise players.
“Mourinho talks about class but that is the sign of class in my eyes.
“Every player who played for Sir Alex Ferguson – whether they liked him or not – respected him because you knew that any grievances would not be aired in the press.”
