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Manchester United: Success, failure and Mourinho’s three-season syndrome

By Uzair Madhani

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 14: Jose Mourinho, Manager of Manchester United looks on during the Premier League match between Liverpool and Manchester United at Anfield on October 14, 2017 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 14: Jose Mourinho, Manager of Manchester United looks on during the Premier League match between Liverpool and Manchester United at Anfield on October 14, 2017 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images) /
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COBHAM, UNITED KINGDOM – SEPTEMBER 08: New Chelsea signing Ashley Cole (L) and manager Jose Mourinho sit side by side before a press conference at the Chelsea training ground on September 8, 2006 in Cobham, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
COBHAM, UNITED KINGDOM – SEPTEMBER 08: New Chelsea signing Ashley Cole (L) and manager Jose Mourinho sit side by side before a press conference at the Chelsea training ground on September 8, 2006 in Cobham, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images) /

Chelsea

Mourinho’s first two seasons at Chelsea were a monumental success. Consecutive Premiership titles, a then-record 95 points in a season, a League Cup and a Champions League semi-final appearance represented an excellent start to life in England.

With players like Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard, Petr Cech and John Terry, along with Abramovich bankrolling the club, Mourinho looked like a sleeker, smarter upgrade on Ferguson and Wenger, the dinosaurs of yesterday.

Trouble began brewing at Stamford Bridge when Frank Arnesen was hired as sporting director in 2005. Arnesen and Mourinho did not get along, with Arnesen questioning Mourinho’s tactics and temperament.

The sporting director also worked with other important figures within the club to steer Mourinho towards transfer signings that they wanted. This rubbed Mourinho the wrong way, and he did not appreciate his squad being meddled with.

At the start of his third season at the club, Mourinho requested that the board buy Samuel Eto’o. Instead, he was saddled with Andriy Shevchenko, a player he did not want, or need. The board also allowed William Gallas to leave, while signing Khalid Boulahrouz. They also pulled out of a deal to sign Micah Richards.

LONDON – SEPTEMBER 29: Andriy Shevchenko of Chelsea shakes the hand of Avram Grant, Chelsea manager as he is substituted during the Barclays Premier League match between Chelsea and Fulham at Stamford Bridge on September 29, 2007 in London. (Photo by Phil Cole/Getty Images)
LONDON – SEPTEMBER 29: Andriy Shevchenko of Chelsea shakes the hand of Avram Grant, Chelsea manager as he is substituted during the Barclays Premier League match between Chelsea and Fulham at Stamford Bridge on September 29, 2007 in London. (Photo by Phil Cole/Getty Images) /

The board continued to meddle with the first-team, adding Avram Grant to the coaching staff, and refusing Mourinho’s request for a striker in the January transfer window. Chelsea did still manage to win the League Cup and the FA Cup but was comfortably beaten to the league title by Manchester United. The lowest point of their season was when they had to welcome the champions-elect to Stamford Bridge with a guard of honor, as Ferguson sent out a team of fringe players.

In this case, Mourinho was not fired at the end of his third season but did not last too much longer. As the 2007-08 season began, his relationship with John Terry fell apart and added further strain to his dealing with Abramovich and Grant, who was now director of football. A month into his fourth season, Mourinho was gone.

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