There was a sigh of relief at Old Trafford once José Mourinho was confirmed as the replacement for Louis van Gaal. The Portuguese brings an air of confidence to any club that he manages. His record when it comes to titles speak volumes about the quality of the manager; eight league titles in four different countries, two Champions League medals, and several other trophies in Italy, England and Spain. If a club has the money and wants trophies, Mourinho seems to be the best bet.
Each manager comes with their own baggage and Mourinho is no different. The Portuguese has been criticised for adopting a very short term approach towards success. Yes, he has had a lot of success in the past but almost all of his exits have had a recurring theme: sign a number of experienced first-team regulars, disregard youth, and fallout with the squad or the owner. It is a philosophy that has reaped rich dividends. However, it is a philosophy that clashes with the very core of what Manchester United stand for, self-sustained success.
Premier League fans have witnessed the likes of Blackburn and Newcastle vanish away without traces, after having spent large sums of money from rich benefactors. The club’s seemed to value temporary success over long-standing core attributes. United may have a long list of haters, but the club’s idea of promoting from within is one of the most successful in English football. The list of youngsters transformed into superstars by Sir Alex Ferguson and several other great managers before him is endless.
Several youngsters now join Manchester United with confidence that the club will give them opportunities if they are good. The belief and confidence, though, are beginning to fade away in just a few months of Mourinho’s regime. The Portuguese manager has already shipped out several youngsters on loan to various clubs. Of course, this is a standard policy even during the time of Ferguson, but the Scot never sent away those with remarkable talent. After a splendid debut season, Marcus Rashford is in danger of being forgotten amongst a sea of superstars like Ibrahimovic and Pogba.
United recently made the mistake of resigning a player – for a world record transfer fee – that they let go for peanuts. With the growing number of loan stars at United, the day may not be long before the mistake is repeated.