Manchester United: Mourinho’s moaning could trigger another third season collapse

For Manchester United fans the post-World Cup comedown is a twist on an old maxim; after the lightness of the summer carnival crashing back to earth with Jose Mourinho’s stifling misery is a case of not realising how bad you’ve got it until it comes back. The interlude of Russia 2018 already feels like a prisoner’s daydream, a fantasy naively indulged that serves only to magnify the contrast between reality and how things used to be.

A bit much? Maybe, but then again Mourinho’s incessant whinging has become utterly unbearable lately. During United’s tedious 2017/18 campaign it was easy to forget what the World Cup retaught us: that football is supposed to be fun, not a soulless march to the finishing line. It is supposed to be a celebration of humanity’s best qualities: of community, not tribalism; of expression, not restriction.

Instead, Mourinho sucks out all the joy. He is the great oppressive force on the Premier League in 2018, a man so utterly self-obsessed and miserable he has created a sense of congealed emptiness at Old Trafford. It threatens to end in another disastrous third-season-syndrome, and at least partially explains why United are now third favourites to win the title at 15/2 – their longest pre-season odds since 1991.

In just nine days since France’s 4-2 victory over Croatia signalled the beginning of the domestic pre-season, Mourinho has: whined that pre-season has been “very bad” and that the World Cup has left him “worried”; complained that United are “not a team” following a 0-0 draw with San Jose Earthquakes; deflected blame for Paul Pogba’s contrasting form onto the player (“I don’t think it’s about us getting the best out of him, it’s about him giving the best he has to give”); and bemoaned a lack of transfer activity, using his distaste for United’s USA travel plans and the Premier League TV fixtures to exemplify that “one thing is what I want and another thing is what is going to happen.”

It is frankly exhausting, and surely the players are beginning to tire too – a tell-tale sign of impending doom. In each of his crisis-ridden third seasons, and in particular the two at Chelsea, Mourinho’s methods appeared to emotionally exhaust the players, leading to a loss of confidence. But his tirades have never been quite so relentless, disempowering, or diminishing as they have been over the last 12 months.

Nobody would be surprised should some of United’s key players turn against him, particularly with Manchester City so strong under a directly contrasting managerial approach – and particularly after their own World Cup excursions.

Pogba, Ashley Young, Victor Lindelof, Romelu Lukaku, Jesse Lingard, Marouane Fellaini, and Nemanja Matic all had excellent tournaments for their respective nations, playing with the sort of freedom – freedom from negativity and freedom to express themselves – that could trigger a reassessment of Mourinho’s approach.

The Portuguese has always been the Machiavellian type, a manager whose unpopular methods are considered a worthwhile trade-off for silverware, but after two years in charge at Old Trafford uneasiness grows. This job really might be too big for a man who thrives as the underdog. The World Cup was an apt reminder, for the fans and the players, how different life could be.

And yet United are on an upward trajectory; that another crisis feels near despite statistical evidence to the contrary is testament to the psychological power of Mourinho’s moaning. Having inherited an almighty mess from Louis van Gaal the Portuguese was a bonafide success in year one (two trophies, Champions League qualification) and provided the club with its highest league finish since Sir Alex Ferguson’s departure in year two (in a season when Centurions Man City were unassailable anyway).

In fact, the average points tally of Premier League champions over the last 20 years is 87.65, meaning United only needed seven more points than the 81 earned in 2017/18 to be right on track. If they had overturned Huddersfield Town’s fortunate 2-1 win in October, if they had not conceded a 94th minute equaliser in a 2-2 draw with Leicester City in December, and if they had grabbed a goal in a dominant 0-0 draw with Southampton that same month, then United would have finished on a usually-good-enough 88 points.

That’s just a four goal swing over the course of a 38-game season, and in a fine-margins sport defined partially by luck is evidence that Mourinho’s powers haven’t waned as much as many assume. But the psychology of a title challenge is more important than the statistics; Mourinho’s negativity and the pessimism that wafts through Old Trafford should not be dismissed even if his results are meeting expectations.

For that reason alone United fans should be worried that a collapse is on its way. If the players and the media feel like the club is underachieving, and failing to live up to its historic attacking principles, then results could quickly turn sour. It is essential, then, that United make a strong start to the new season. Composure and coherence are key buzzwords for the first five Premier League matches of 2018/19. Leicester (h), Brighton (a), Spurs (h), Burnley (a), and Watford (a) should allow for a soothing beginning.

Then again, much depends upon United’s transfer market manoeuvrings over the next fortnight. Mourinho isn’t the first to complain about the way the club conducts business, and in this he is more justified in publicly criticising his bosses. United have only added Brazilian midfielder Fred and Portuguese left-back Diogo Dalot to the first team thus far, with Mourinho hoping for two more signings.

Toni Kroos and Willian would be ideal although neither look realistic at this time, while signing a centre-back is surely urgent. Lindelof, Chris Smalling, Phil Jones, and a semi-permanently injured Eric Bailly is pretty slapdash for such a big club. Without a couple of big-name signings there is every chance the gloomy atmosphere will grow. Mourinho is certainly doing his best to lower expectations, reminding fans of just how depressing things had become before club football was pushed aside for the summer.

The World Cup is well and truly over. Reality bites, and for United fans it’s back to the wearying grind of daily life under Mourinho. With memories of the carnival in Russia still fresh, they may not tolerate his antics for much longer.