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I don’t know if this is Alex Ferguson’s final year with the United. Probably not. Still, the five game suspension he recieved for his comments on Martin Atkinson must make him wonder about things. He said he’s not sure about appealing. He probably feels that it’s better to remain quiet this time. He did do a lot of talking in recent weeks and ended up losing to Chelsea. He talked a lot after the Chelsea game. Then he lost to Liverpool. Then he turned, “punishing” the media and anyone else who loves getting little tid bits of Fergie’s take on the game. He’s won the FA Cup match against Arsenal and the Champions League second leg against Marseille. Despite the rough league form, United are still favorites to win the title with 3 points on a Arsenal team that’s maybe relived of other competitions but lack anything resembling mental toughness. And there’s the match at the Emirates in the near future.
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I don’t know if Mourinho will have another go with Real after this season. The team’s patience with managers, successful or failing, barely exists. Power struggles, egos of general managers and head coaches clash. Then there’s Barcelona, who make Real look a bit out of its league when they have met the last five times. Mourinho, like Ferguson, doesn’t shut up. It’s never personal, but it’s always a critique on the FA for giving Barcelona more resting days or on referees when he doesn’t win. Unlike Ferguson, he has yet to serve any bans this season. Last night he got a huge boost to his stature and ego after beating Lyon 3-0 and finally putting Real in the Champions League quarter finals after a 8 year drought.
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Mourinho has to be eying the United job. Ferguson wants someone worthy to inherit him there. I think Fergie has one more season left in him. And Mourinho deserves at least one more year at the Real Madrid helm, no matter how this season ends, with a treble still in the cards for Real Madrid. I just know that Mourinho, who gained his first bit of fame around the continent when his Porto managed to knock out Manchester United in the 2003-2004 Champions League, en route to the trophy, has to be the man who replaces Ferguson. There isn’t a better manager or better suited man for the job. Every once in a while the connection between the two, which began with a sort of hatred and has turned into huge respect and maybe a bit of admiration, after the two stopped being league rivals, makes me certain what Mourinho’s next job should be. I hope they make a deal so this actually works out.