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Manchester United run the risk of “writing off” next season as well as the remainder of the current one in appointing an interim manager to replace Jose Mourinho , former United midfielder Darren Fletcher has said.
United dismissed manager Mourinho on Tuesday after their worst start to a season for 28 years.
Fletcher’s former team mate Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and the club’s ex-assistant coach Mike Phelan have since returned to Old Trafford as caretaker managers, with the pair set to step aside at the end of the season.
But Fletcher, speaking prior to their appointments, warned that an interim manager is not the way to move forward for United.
“Manchester United should never be in this position,” Fletcher, who won five Premier League titles in 12 years at United, told the BBC.
Show all 34 1 /34Jose Mourinho – career in pictures Jose Mourinho – career in pictures Sporting Lisbon, Porto & Barcelona Jose Mourinho began his career in football as an interpreter to Bobby Robson at Sporting Lisbon in 1992. His role developed into a coaching role with they both moved to Porto a year later. They won several leagues and cups during their time before moving to Barcelona in 1996 (pictured above together with the at the European Cup Winners Cup at the 1997 final)
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Jose Mourinho – career in pictures Barcelona Barcelona manager Bobby Robson poses for a team picture with his players and assistant coach Jose Mourinho at the Nou Camp in 1996
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Jose Mourinho – career in pictures Benfica & União de Leiria Mourinho made the jump from coaching staff to manager with a short spell at Benfica in 2000 and then União de Leiria in 2001, where he caught the eye of the higher positioned clubs for an eight-match unbeaten run which left the club one point above Porto and just one behind previous club Benfica
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Jose Mourinho – career in pictures Porto He joined Porto in January of 2002 with the club in fifth position and finished the season in third with the promise of making them champions the following season. He came good with his promise in 2003, after identifying a backbone to his squad, high pressing and bringing in a more scientific approach, Porto won the league 11 points ahead of Benfica. The next season Mourinho's side secured the title five weeks before the end of the season and picked up the biggest prize in Europe, the Champions League
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Jose Mourinho – career in pictures Chelsea - first season In 2004 Jose signed a three-year contract at Chelsea and declared himself 'The Special One'
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Jose Mourinho – career in pictures Chelsea - first season Mourinho's first trophy at the club was the league cup, beating Liverpool 3-1 after extra time. He was escorted off the pitch for his response to Liverpool fans by putting his finger to his mouth
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Jose Mourinho – career in pictures Chelsea - first season A big moment in Jose's first season at Chelsea saw them knock out Barcelona in the round of 16 with a 4-2 victory at Stamford Bridge, after a 1-2 loss at the Nou Camp
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Jose Mourinho – career in pictures Chelsea - first season A controversial decision relating to a goal in their Champions League game against Liverpool saw them knocked out at the semi-final stage
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Jose Mourinho – career in pictures Chelsea - first season In his first season at Chelsea Mourinho won the league, securing their first title in 50 years. The side set several records including the fewest goals conceded, just 15
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Jose Mourinho – career in pictures Chelsea - second season Mourinho strengthened the Chelsea squad with further signings like Michael Essien in the summer of 2005
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Jose Mourinho – career in pictures Chelsea - second season Mourinho won his second title with Chelsea in his second season, securing back-to-back titles after beating Manchester United 3-0 at the Bridge
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Jose Mourinho – career in pictures Chelsea - second season He threw his medal into the crowd after the presentation, as well as, his replacement medal in 2006
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Jose Mourinho – career in pictures Chelsea - third season Reports of a strained relationship with Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich indicated he may leave the club. The signing of Andryi Shevchenko lead to further problems when the chairman insisted on Jose playing him
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Jose Mourinho – career in pictures Chelsea - third season Despite the growing tension between Mourinho and Abramovich, Chelsea won the league cup once again, beating Arsenal 2-1 in Cardiff in 2007
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Jose Mourinho – career in pictures Chelsea - third season However Chelsea were once again knocked out to Liverpool in the Champions League at the semi-final stage and hopes of winning the league were over when they drew with Arsenal. Mourinho indicated to the fans to keep their chins up
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Jose Mourinho – career in pictures Chelsea - third season Jose completed the domestic cup double with a win over Manchester United in the first FA Cup played at Wembley. It was his first time winning it and meant he won every domestic trophy available to a Premier League manager
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Jose Mourinho – career in pictures Chelsea - fourth season A slow start to his fourth season added to the troubling relationship between manager and board. A draw with Rosenborg in the Champions League group stage was Mourinho's last match in charge
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Jose Mourinho – career in pictures Chelsea - fourth season He left Chelsea by mutual consent on 20 September 2007 as the club's most successful manager in their history
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Jose Mourinho – career in pictures Chelsea - fourth season Fans soon protested the board's decision on the day of his departure outside Stamford Bridge
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Jose Mourinho – career in pictures Inter Milan - first season Jose joined Inter Milan in June 2008 after replacing Roberto Mancini. His backroom staff from Chelsea and Porto also joined him
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Jose Mourinho – career in pictures Inter Milan - first season Mourinho promoted 18-year-old Italian striker Mario Balotelli after UEFA began pushing for more homegrown players. In his first season with the club Jose won the Supercoppa Italia and league by ten points however lost in the Coppa Italia semi-finals and were knocked out of the Champions League in the last 16 by Manchester United. Some fans were disappointed he had not been able to improve on Mancini's previous achievements
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Jose Mourinho – career in pictures Inter Milan - second season After losing the Supercoppa, Mourinho never looked back, winning the league, Coppa Italia and Champions League (his second as a manager). They became the first Italian club to do the treble
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Jose Mourinho – career in pictures Real Madrid - first season The day after winning the Champions League Mourinho indicated he would be leaving for Real Madrid. Just six days later it was confirmed and he was presented as Manuel Pellegrini's replacement on 31 May 2010
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Jose Mourinho – career in pictures Real Madrid - first season Mourinho watches on as Real Madrid triumph over Barcelona in the 2011 Copa del Rey final. It was the frist time that they had won the cup in 18 years
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Jose Mourinho – career in pictures Real Madrid - second season In the 2011/12 season, Real Madrid won La Liga for the first time in four years. With their win against Mallorca in the final game of the season, they set the record for most games won in a La Liga season (32) and improved their own record for the most goals scored (121)
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Jose Mourinho – career in pictures Real Madrid - third season Real Madrid won the Supercopa de España, coming back from a 3-2 loss to Barcelona in the first leg of the final to win 4-4 on away goals. With this, Mourinho had won every domestic title in the space of two years and became the only manager to win every domestic title in four European leagues
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Jose Mourinho – career in pictures Real Madrid - third season Following a loss to Athletico Madrid in the final of the 2013 Copa del Rey, Mourinho called the 2012/13 season "the worst of my career". He resigned at the end of the season
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Jose Mourinho – career in pictures Chelsea - fifth season Mourinho returned to Chelsea for the 2013/14 season. Playing down any title hopes, he referred to it as a transitional season and Chelsea finished 3rd
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Jose Mourinho – career in pictures Chelsea - sixth season In the 2014/15 season, Chelsea won their third Premier League title under Mourinho, losing only 3 games in the season
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Jose Mourinho – career in pictures Chelsea - seventh season Mourinho parted with Chelsea on 17 December 2015, having lost 9 of the 16 matches so far in the season. The club stated that he left "on good terms and will always remain a much-loved, respected and significant figure at Chelsea"
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Jose Mourinho – career in pictures Manchester United - first season Mourinho signed a 3 year contract with Manchester United in May 2016. In August, they beat Leicester for the Community Shield
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Jose Mourinho – career in pictures Manchester United - first season United won the Europa league in 2017 with a 2-0 win over AFC Ajax
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Jose Mourinho – career in pictures Manchester United - third season The 2018/19 season started badly, with United losing 2 of their first 3 league games for the first time in 26 years. In a press conference following a 3-0 home loss agaisnt Tottenham, Mourinho got annoyed and noted that 3 is also the number of Premier League titles that he has won (pictured)
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Jose Mourinho – career in pictures Manchester United - third season After just 7 wins in the first 17 games, Mourinho was sacked by United amid rumours that he had lost control of his players
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“They’re almost writing off this season and next season because if they appoint a new manager in the summer he’s not going to have much time to look for new players.”
Tottenham Hotspur boss Mauricio Pochettino has emerged as the bookmakers’ favourite as United look for their fourth full-time manager since 2013, when Alex Ferguson retired after nearly 27 years in charge.
“There is a real concern that you could have two seasons of rebuilding again,” Fletcher added.
United are sixth in the league, 19 points behind leaders Liverpool and 11 points off the Champions League places.
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