Why Jose Mourinho Can Guide Manchester United Back to the European Elite

Jose Mourinho is the manager of Manchester United, and his track record of success should mean the Red Devils are in good hands.

Given a three-year contract with an option for a fourth year, per the club’s website, Mourinho’s task is to take United back to the top of the game.

Following the Portuguese’s appointment on Friday, executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward said: “Jose is quite simply the best manager in the game today. He has won trophies and inspired players in countries across Europe and, of course, he knows the Premier League very well, having won three titles here.”

We are delighted to announce Jose Mourinho is our new manager! Full statement: https://t.co/PDiHMIWnpd #WelcomeJose pic.twitter.com/eZ8NBSz2up

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) May 27, 2016

Of course, when Louis van Gaal succeeded David Moyes in 2014, there was similar cause for optimism, but in truth, Mourinho’s record significantly betters the recently departed Dutchman’s.

He has two UEFA Champions League trophies to Van Gaal’s one and eight league titles to Van Gaal’s seven, achieved in nine fewer years. Four of Van Gaal’s titles were Eredivisie titles, whereas two-thirds of Mourinho’s have been earned in England, Italy and Spain.

And five of Van Gaal’s trophies were earned before Mourinho had his first, in what is a bygone era.

There are some questions around Mourinho as a fit for United. As has been widely discussed, he does not have much of a history of bringing through young players. Additionally, he has a reputation as a defence-first coach, though the facts don’t quite bear that out, as pointed out by Michael Cox in the Guardian.

Mourinho: “There is a mystique and a romance about …

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