Is this why José Mourinho is a bad fit for Manchester United?

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The United Way

Let’s face it; English footballing culture doesn’t exactly lend itself to in-depth discussions about ‘philosophy’ and ‘theory’. It is all very well for urbane continental coaches to tease the media with talk of false-nines, inverted wing-backs, and transitional phases, but most of us are naturally suspicious of any attempt to turn football into an extended seminar.

Thankfully, you don’t need a degree in sports science to understand the famous United way. It essentially involves natural width, provided by two overlapping full-backs, and a commitment to take the game to the opponent and always be on the front foot. If you want to get a bit more abstract, it’s about entertainment. As Sir Matt Matt Busby told a young apprentice by the name of Bobby Charlton back in the 1950s, “All those lads you see going to the factory in Trafford Park, they come to watch you on a Saturday.” “They have boring jobs”, Busby explained, “so you have to give them something they will enjoy.”

By those criteria, Louis van Gaal failed to respect the United way, and that; more than anything, contributed to his unpopularity amongst fans and supporters. Nevertheless, would Jose Mourinho be any different?

The evidence suggests the answer to that question is ‘doubtful’, to say the least.

It is no secret that the Special One is defensively minded. That is why van Gaal sought his advice at Barcelona, to counter-balance the attacking instincts of the rest of his staff. To be fair to Mourinho though, his reputation as a defensive coach – an Italian with a Portuguese passport as some would say – is a slight caricature. During his first stint at Chelsea, his team played some scintillating stuff, and although his Real Madrid side weren’t as exciting as Pep Guardiola’s Barca, they did break a whole host of La Liga records during the 2011-2012 season, notching up 100 points and scoring 121 goals to boot.

That being said, you can always count on him to revert to type. At Madrid, Mourinho insisted on playing with a trivote, a trio of ball-winning central midfielders who could press high up the pitch or drop back to form a shield in front of the back-four, even when there was no apparent benefit in doing so. According to Diego Torres, this wanton negativity was driven by an almost pathological fear of losing, and it contributed to a palpable sense of frustration and discord in the Bernabéu dressing room. Mourinho-ball might not be as dull as the fare served up under van Gaal, but it can be just as rigid, meaning that players are deployed out of position and forced to stifle their individual creativity. Juan Mata is a pertinent case in point.

Ultimately, Mourinho’s teams are built to be effective, not entertaining. For most fans, that’s an acceptable trade-off, but Manchester United fans aren’t like most fans.