A bullish Jose Mourinho has been unveiled at Old Trafford as the latest manager of Manchester United, and he’s been quick to dismiss the work of the two managers before him.
“I want everything,” said Mourinho. “Of course we are not going to get everything but we want to. For many years success was just routine. I want the players to forget the last three years.”
So, how does Mourinho go about achieving “everything” while making the last three years a distant memory for United supporters? For a club that finished in fifth place last season, the distance to the summit of the Premier League certainly isn’t that enormous.
Indeed, this is a club that won their 12th FA Cup last year. However, this is also the same club that managed only 49 PL goals and lost matches to Sunderland, Middlesbrough and Midtjylland.
Here are the 3 biggest tasks facing Jose Mourinho during his first season with Manchester United.
#1: Get the most out of Zlatan Ibrahimovic — even if it’s just for one or two seasons.
Manchester United has joined Zlatan. Photo: @goal | Twitter
When Manchester City pipped Manchester United to the 2011-12 Premier League title on the final day of the season, many foresaw the end of Sir Alex Ferguson’s era of dominance.
However, the offseason acquisition of Robin van Persie completely transformed the team and papered over some growing weaknesses. Van Persie almost single-handedly delivered United the 2012-13 title, and gave Ferguson the send-off he deserved, with 26 PL goals in 38 matches.
The current United squad, full of its own weaknesses and shortcomings, could be similarly invigorated by 20+ goals from the former Sweden captain. At 34, it’s anybody’s guess as to how long Ibrahimovic can continue to dominate club football.
For Mourinho and United, they simply need one more fantastic year from the striker to immediately challenge for the English title and reassert their claim as the country’s biggest club. The pair enjoy a special relationship that should allow Ibrahimovic to hit the ground running.
Having won titles in the Netherlands, Italy, Spain and France, Ibrahimovic’s ultimate goal will be to add one more in England.
#2: Win back the Old Trafford supporters.
'The Welcomed One' Photo: @ManUtd1_ | Twitter
From David Moyes’ miserly seventh place finish to Louis van Gaal overseeing the scoring of only 49 goals in 38 matches, Old Trafford fans have begun to suspect the worst anytime their beloved club takes the pitch.
Comprehensive defeats to clubs like FC Midtjylland and MK Dons have rocked supporters in recent years, and Mourinho will need to get off to a flyer to convince fans that the tides are finally turning.
United begin the campaign against Bournemouth, Southampton and Hull City. On September 10th, in only their fourth match of the season, it’s already the big one: Manchester United and Mourinho vs. Manchester City and Pep Guardiola.
If Mourinho can somehow mastermind a victory against their Manchester rivals, he’ll be lauded and accepted as one of their own.
Stylistically, any form of concerted attack will be seen as an upgrade on his predecessors. Mourinho has an embarrassment of attacking riches to choose from, and the addition of a player like Paul Pogba may yet happen this summer.
#3: Mourinho must write the final chapter for Wayne Rooney’s Man Utd career.
Rooney's time at Man Utd is coming to an end. Photo: @beINSPORTSUSA | Twitter
The Wayne Rooney conundrum has puzzled both club and country for a number of years now. The 30-year-old forward is no longer the attacking talent that scored 27 PL goals in 2011-12. However, his career renaissance in the midfield has hardly been fruitful.
Mourinho has been adamant that he’ll not deploy Rooney in the midfield for United.
“One thing that will never change is his natural appetite to put the ball in the net. Maybe he is not a striker, not a No. 9 anymore. But with me he will never be a No. 6, playing 50 meters from goal. Yes, his passing is amazing but mine is also amazing without pressure," said Mourinho.
Mourinho sees Rooney as a striker, a playmaker or even a false nine. However, this sort of view of Rooney’s talents is as muddled and confusing as the managers who came before him.
Rooney is undeniably talented and could still make a major difference for Mourinho’s United. He’ll almost certainly be dropped more than he ever has in his career, and this will cause tension in their relationship. Ultimately, Mourinho will need to call time on Rooney’s United career. The timing and smoothness of the transition will require all of Mourinho's man management skill.
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