Manchester United will look outside the club to appoint an interim manager following Jose Mourinho’s sacking on Tuesday.
The Portuguese was told by executive vice-chair Ed Woodward at the club’s AON Training Complex that he was being relieved of his duties after a dreadful start to the Premier League season which has left United in sixth place after 17 matches, 19 points behind leaders Liverpool and 11 off the top four positions.
United announced in a statement on Tuesday:
“Manchester United announces that manager Jose Mourinho has left the club with immediate effect.
“The club would like to thank Jose for his work during his time at Manchester United and to wish him success in the future.
“A new caretaker manager will be appointed until the end of the current season, while the club conducts a thorough recruitment process for a new, full-time manager.”
And, while Mourinho’s assistant boss Michael Carrick was initially believed to be the favourite to take the reins until the end of the season, the club are now expected to recruit a temporary boss from outside of the current staff roster.
United previously appointed club legend Ryan Giggs as caretaker manager for the final four games of the 2013-14 season after having sacked David Moyes with the club sitting in seventh position in the Premier League table and out of the running for the Champions League.
At that time Giggs had been serving as a first-team coach under Moyes, and would then be appointed as new manager Louis van Gaal’s full-time assistant. But this time around United are looking farther afield to appoint a short-term boss.
And Wales boss Giggs is among the list touted as potential possibilities to see out the season, along with former United team-mates Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Laurent Blanc.
United surprised many with their decision to sack Mourinho on Tuesday, with the Portuguese having originally been expected to see out the rest of the season.
Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino is the early favourite to be approached regarding the full-time role next summer, perhaps as a head coach working under a new director of football.
