Managing Manchester United should be the dream job, but Jose Mourinho has never looked like he has enjoyed himself at Old Trafford.
It is as if he has been following a checklist to get the sack.
Here are four issues which have led to his abrupt pre-Christmas exit:
1. He has never embraced the city in which he was working. While Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has bought a city-centre apartment, Mourinho has spent his entire time in Manchester living at Salford’s Lowry Hotel.
2. He moaned at his board for not giving him enough money to spend in the summer — despite already splashing out more than £350million.
3. He fell out with all his star players and subjected them to relentless public criticism.
4. And he failed to give his team an identity, playing a negative style of football that is at odds with the history and traditions of Manchester United.
It is clear that the players have not been responding to their manager for a long time now.
They have been outrun by every opponent they have faced in the Premier League since their victory over Swansea in March last season.
With Mourinho, you get the distinct impression that it is down to him if they win but the players’ fault when they lose.
As a player, that is very difficult to take and it creates a toxic atmosphere in the dressing room. Sacking him was inevitable and I am surprised the club did not act sooner.
The squad is not as bad as Mourinho has made out. There is plenty of quality and the players will respond to whoever is put in charge. From here, United’s season can only get better.
Mourinho has an outstanding managerial record which will stand the test of time but he was simply the wrong fit for Manchester United.