Man Utd and Mourinho a perfect match?

The Portuguese has been linked with the Old Trafford job in the past, but saw David Moyes take the reigns in the North-West. Now, with United’s malaise continuing, he may have a second shot at the job.

Today’s #360debate is: Are Manchester United and Jose Mourinho the perfect match?

Matt Monaghan, reporter, says YES

The time for even the most calculated of gambles is over for Manchester United.

After the David Moyes abomination and utter frustration of Louis van Gaal’s reign, the next boss has to be the right one. Only one man in world football guarantees such success and that is Jose Mourinho – even better now his sacking by Chelsea will provide further motivation.

Departing Bayern Munich boss Pep Guardiola is both the romantics’ choice as successor and a revolutionary leader, arguably the greatest of all time. But even forgetting the fact he seems bound for the blue half of Manchester, it should be the Portuguese who United pursue above all others. And this chase should start now, there is no time to waste after Saturday’s 2-1 humiliation by Norwich City.

Mourinho’s advantage – and it is a key one – is that he is battle-hardened in the Premier League. His three title wins – among five others earned in Portugal, Spain and Italy – are evidence enough about his acceptance of the fact artistry and possession-based football are not enough in the English game.

There is less chance Guardiola would be hampered by Van Gaal’s self-assured hubris. His change to a more-direct approach has maintained Bayern’s Bundesliga domination. But an even bigger switch would be needed to replicate his omnipotent success in Spain and Germany. H

e’d probably do this with aplomb, yet ‘probably’ is the key word. Undoubtedly, this term’s spectacular fall from grace has rubbed some of the shine off the ‘The Special One’. His troublesome behaviour is a worry well documented by Sir Bobby Charlton. But the club great must have forgotten Sir Alex Ferguson’s propensity for the unsavoury.

If Guardiola goes to City, it’s another reason why #mufc must go for Mourinho. They need someone eminent & he riled Guardiola in Spain.

— Samuel Luckhurst (@samuelluckhurst) December 20, 2015

Neither is Mourinho’s relationship with ugly football intrinsic. His Chelsea team with flying wingers Damien Duff and Arjen Robben was in the United tradition, while a record 121 goals were scored by his 2011-12 La Liga title winners at Real Madrid.

Pragmatically and practically, Mourinho should be bound for Manchester.

James Piercy, deputy editor, says NO

Such is the cult of Jose Mourinho that fans from two of the biggest clubs in the world were singing his name relentlessly on Saturday.

Within hours of his sacking on Thursday it prompted a former employer, despite all that went on at Madrid, to hint at a future return. And it inspired Chelsea fans to totally turn against three of their key men from last season’s title-winning side.

If United are considering replacing Louis van Gaal with the Portuguese, as common sense a decision it may appear, it has the recipe for complete chaos.

With Internazionale the exception, he leaves clubs amid considerable drama and/or disaster. He never goes quietly and that is with good reason. There is a growing proportion of United fans who are so fed-up with the monotony of life under Moyes and Van Gaal they will now happily take that.

But they should be careful what you wish for. Mourinho’s conduct since the summer has been pathetic – the referee-baiting, conspiracy theories, spats with ex-players and mistreatment of staff.

Yes, there may be echoes of Sir Alex Ferguson but the Scot remained, fundamentally, a man of respect. As his cult grows, his ability to learn from any mistakes he has made diminishes.

With one stubborn manager who refuses to adapt or modernise his approach potentially on his way out, Mourinho is essentially cut from the same cloth. A commitment to pragmatic, defensive football that, however successful at first, history tells us eventually becomes tiresome and predictable.

United pride themselves on a cycle of developing young players. Van Gaal, for all his faults, has maintained that. Mourinho simply won’t even entertain it. He cast aside Romelu Lukaku, Kevin De Bruyne, stifled Oscar, left Eden Hazard looking disinterested and, for all his bluster, never really considered Ruben Loftus-Cheek.

Just what will he do to Memphis Depay, Luke Shaw, Anthony Martial and Jesse Lingard? Mourinho doesn’t build football clubs, he’s not concerned with a long-term framework for success, he’s focused on one thing: maintaining the cult of Jose Mourinho.