It is known as third season syndrome and has become synonymous with Jose Mourinho. The Manchester United manager has stayed in charge at a club for longer than three seasons only once – that was his first stint at Chelsea and even then he departed in September. At Porto he lasted three seasons, Inter Milan two, Real Madrid three and his second spell at Chelsea ended during the third campaign.
And now major questions are being asked about his future at Old Trafford. A summer of transfer discontent preceded a dreadful defeat at Brighton in their second Premier League fixture of the season. His expensively assembled squad is considered way behind the quality and effectiveness of rivals Manchester City, while his relationship with players such as Paul Pogba and Anthony Martial have appeared strained.
Then there’s the reported complications with executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward. Mourinho’s contract runs until 2020, but should United lose to Tottenham Hotspur on Monday night the feeling that he won’t make it that far will be stronger than ever.
No manager in world football has had more success over the last few years than Zinedine Zidane. The Frenchman enjoyed a sensational two and a half years at Real Madrid, where he won three consecutive Champions League titles, becoming the first team to do so in the modern era.
It all looks to be going wrong at Manchester United. After a transfer window where they failed to bring in any of Jose Mourinho’s top targets, they have made a poor start to the season, and have won just one of their opening three games.
This was always going to be a big season for the club. Last season, they saw their neighbours across the city run away with the title and playing some of the best football that the Premier League has ever seen.
However, he left Real in the summer, which came as a surprise to many given the volume of success he had in his time in charge at the Bernabeu. If he were to come to United now, he would be taking over a team in crisis, and make no mistake about it, United are a team in crisis.
It was a similar situation when he took over at Real, maybe not as bad, but the team weren’t in a good situation under the management of Rafa Benitez. He is a winner, and United will want a winner.
Zidane will also want to prove he isn’t just a one trick pony, so the Manchester United job could be one that excites him.
