Jose Mourinho, 49 (currently manager at Real Madrid). 3/1
Strengths. Mr Mourinho needs no introduction. With his terrific charisma and winning attitude, he has won the top leagues of Portugal, England, Italy and Spain, along with two Champions League trophies with Porto and Internazionale. Manchester United fans will know him well from his constant duel as Chelsea looked to establish themselves as the top club in England, and it is undeniable he did a great job. He may be very disliked by large portions of fans, but this is credit to his personality in which he is able to deflect attention away from the club, instead bearing the brunt of the media himself and allowing his players to get on with what they do best: win.
He managed to topple arguably the greatest club side in history as they beat Barcelona to the title, which is an achievement in itself, but the emphatic fashion in which they performed was inspirational; records were broken for most wins, highest points, highest goals scored and highest goal difference. The self proclaimed ‘Special One’ has a special bond with England, where fans and players across the country can’t help but admire him; something he hasn’t been granted in his more recent ventures abroad. He would definitely like to return to the country one day, and emulating the great Sir Alex would be an even greater incentive.
Weaknesses. It can be said that Mourinho is slightly controversial at times, and while the Man Utd faithful should begin to endear themselves to him, it can still be considered a risk with the amount of negative publicity that he tends to receive. But worrying too is that he has tended to club hop slightly, having managed three clubs since Porto just eight years ago. Perhaps the biggest difficulty to signing Mourinho however would be with regards to money and control. He would command a very lucrative salary, while he is not one to shy away from big money signings. Add that he desires complete control over the running of the club, there would no doubt be some concerns from those in higher positions.
I cannot envisage Mourinho being anything less than successful, but at such a price, and demanding such control, the board would need to be very trusting to prevent a frosty relationship. Considering how well he has built himself at Real Madrid, there are questions whether he would even want to leave anytime soon anyway.
Verdict. An undeniably charismatic and talented manager, Mourinho would be guaranteed to deliver by creating his own winning legacy. But Mourinho would almost go against the old adage that ‘no person is bigger than the club’; they would have to gamble to give him his control.
André Villas-Boas, 35 (currently manager at Tottenham). 170/1
Strengths. Last summer, AVB was perhaps the most touted manager in the world. Having completed the treble with Porto, in which they went the whole season undefeated conceding only 13 goals in the process, in just his first season, he was seen as the newest talent in the world, which convinced Chelsea to part with £13m to guide them to glory. Clearly a winner from his solo season, AVB also boasts terrific mentors in the late Sir Bobby Robson, whom took AVB under his wing at just 16, and Mourinho, whom he worked as assistant for during his time at Chelsea and Inter.
A masterful tactician with a great eye for detail, he experienced a difficult time during his unhappy tenure as Chelsea boss, but that may soon be forgotten. With a year of EPL experience behind him (on top of the experience with Mourinho as assistant), his stock hasn’t fallen too far by becoming Spurs’ new boss. With a point to prove, AVB clearly has the potential and the resources to prove he is a talented manager.
Weaknesses. The single biggest hindrance for AVB would be his time at Chelsea. He had a difficult time in handling the big egos at Stamford Bridge; if he couldn’t do a job there, how can he fare any better at Old Trafford? He could also probably do with a few more years to develop as a manager due to the fact that he is still only 35 years of age. His time at Porto won him many plaudits but it is difficult to judge someone based upon a single season; experiencing the struggles of England is his first step, but he needs a bit more time.
The bookies reflection in this too, with only one offering any odds on him at all (which are massive) suggests that now wouldn’t be the time. Admittedly, he has only just joined Tottenham too, so it is unlikely that he would even want to move until he has established himself there.
Verdict. He is more like a ‘wonderkid’ player; one day he will surely be a much sought after manager, but for now needs to rebuild his reputation at Tottenham (which is an excellent opportunity) and just gain more experience until he is ready to step into Sir Alex’s shoes.
Harry Redknapp, 65 (currently unattached having left Tottenham this summer). 33/1
Strengths. Harry Redknapp seems to be a lovable character – the argument for him to be named the new England manager earlier this year supports that – and he boasts impressive credentials. He appears to be one of these managers who turn out to be a success wherever he goes, and has enjoyed happy spells at all of his clubs. What has really elevated Redknapp to be mentioned as a possible candidate follows his spell at White Hart Lane, where a fantastic record saw him transform the club, for the first time in a long time, to genuine title contenders.
With a good transfer record (at all clubs it must be said) he built a collection of supremely talented stars that stormed into the Champions League, and could easily be playing for Manchester United today. He has never been given a chance to work his magic at a top European club, bar Spurs (which was from his own doing) and with the vast experience he now has of the English League, placing him in charge of Manchester United could be a very wise call.
Weaknesses. It does need to be questioned as to why, at 65, Redknapp has still yet to manage at such a high level, leaving him with a lack of top European experience. While Spurs did impress during their short Champions League stint, we haven’t seen ‘Arry in charge of a team genuinely pushing on all fronts. The closest we have seen to this was in last season’s Premier League campaign, in which he endured a difficult ending when the going got tough and, eventually, led to his questionable exit from the Lane. His ‘dodgy dealings’ may also be called into question where, although rumoured bungs and tax evasion have been cleared, it is still hardly the kind of media you need surrounding your club.
Verdict. A fantastic man manager with bags of Premier League experience, while you would expect him to do a good job, you can’t help but feel it would all end up on the toss of a coin as to whether it would result in greatness or failure.
Martin O’Neill, 60 (currently manager at Sunderland). 16/1
Strengths. With an impressive CV, O’Neill has shown that he truly is a top manager through the success he has demonstrated at all clubs. This is none more so demonstrated than by the variety to which he has managed, be it gaining continued success at a certain big Scottish club (which proves he knows a thing or two about managing contenders in a high pressure environment), or transforming a mediocre Villa side into a threat for a Champions League spot (courtesy of three amazing 6th placed finishes).
With such experience and a command for respect, O’Neill has also seen a commitment to providing opportunities to young players become a key aspect of his success, none more evident than his time at Villa Park. And in a similar mould to Fergie, O’Neill could provide a very smooth transition to keep the reigns of Old Trafford in safe hands with continued success.
Weaknesses. Although his time at Celtic shows he knows how to handle a big club they, with all due respect, to not compare with Manchester United, which would offer a far greater challenge. This also means that he lacks real European pedigree, with only a fraction of Champions League football played in Scotland, and only the UEFA Cup to contend with at Villa. For all of his ability, it could also be questioned why, at his age, he is yet to manage one of the ‘big four’ (or ‘big six’ as it seems to be these days).