Why Man United would be better off without Mourinho

Jose Mourinho's managerial career is built on short-term success

As Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid tenure takes a Chelsea-like downward turn, Christian Crowther asks whether the Special One really has the staying power to succeed Sir Alex Ferguson...

Most things in life arrive in threes according to the old saying, but for Jose Mourinho this does not apply to successful league campaigns.

Mourinho's major breakthrough came at Porto, where he spent two-and-a-half trophy-laden years, miraculously delivering them a Champions League crown to add to a pair of Portuguese titles, the Portuguese Cup and a UEFA Cup.

However, the symbolic removal of his Champions League medal in front of the world's cameras confirmed that this would be his last act as manager of the newly crowned kings of Europe. 

Mourinho then breezed into Stamford Bridge as if floating on air and duly delivered the most successful two-year period in Chelsea's history, resulting in a pair of Premier League trophies and the League Cup.

Nevertheless, he was overhauled by Sir Alex Ferguson in season three, chasing Manchester United throughout and being forced to settle for an FA Cup. His fourth term got off to an even worse start and, with the Blues scratching around for league form and his rocky relationship with Roman Abramovich completely deteriorating, he was gone by September, emerging the following summer at the San Siro.

So a developing pattern of itchy feet and a desire for a new challenge was already in evidence by the time the multi-lingual magician arrived in Milan. Naturally, Mourinho's blueprint for almost instant success held firm again at Inter, where the Special One delivered successive scudettos, the Coppa Italia and Super Cup. 

Of course, the proverbial icing then arrived as it had at Porto in the form of the 2009/10 Champions League trophy. Then, in an instant, he was gone once more, this time setting his compass for Madrid, where he now finds himself following a similar path towards the exit door to the one he navigated at Chelsea. 

Following a phenomenal La Liga triumph in just his second season with Real, Mourinho has acknowledged that their 13-point deficit on Barcelona is practically unbridgeable, as reflected by Los Blancos drifting out to 19.018/1 to retain their title, with Barcelona now available at 1.061/18.

On top of his side's travails in the league, another familiar theme has continued to rear its head as Mourinho's relationship with the Spanish media and more importantly the club's president appears fraught at best.

Therefore, talk of yet another departure is rife; with Mourinho backable at 4.94/1to take the job at Old Trafford whenever Ferguson finally call time on his spectacular 26-year reign.

But, after years of unprecedented success delivered through stability, is this really an appointment that Manchester United should be making?

Much may depend on Real's Champions League campaign, where they can be backed at 4.77/2 to end their 11-year wait for old big ears. 

As we have witnessed in the past though, European success may be the best indicator yet that Mourinho is heading somewhere else, for another two years of fleeting excellence no doubt.