Jose Mourinho - the best unhirable manager in the world?

Jose Mourinho was sacked on the 17th December 2015, over a month ago. Two days later, it was announced that he would not be taking a sabbatical. Despite this, on the 19th January 2016, Jose Mourinho remains without a job and without any serious indication that he will be getting one any time soon.

There remains very few managers in the world today who can boast the level of success of Jose Mourinho. A two time Champions League winner, one of those times with a very unfancied side. He's won league titles in Portugal, England, Italy and Spain. He's tactically revered, has for the most part been considered a good man manager and is a commercial property in his own right. Yet despite all this, he remains without work, sacked by his beloved Chelsea and with no good options to take.

Even in the summer, it becomes difficult to see where he will move, if we look at each possibility, Mourinho's future doesn't look good.

Manchester United
This at the time of Mourinho's sacking seemed to be almost certainly his destination. Louis Van Gaal was under pressure due to results and increasingly dire performances. Mourinho has never really shied from admitting that he would like to be Manchester United manager, Alex Ferguson said he was considered following his retirement, so it appeared to be a match made in heaven. With a point to prove, Mourinho could rejuvenate Manchester United as well as offering a sweet commercial package that Manchester United so often look for in players, they could now find it in a manager. However, it didn't happen and with results improving it doesn't seem likely. It appears Manchester United looked at Jose Mourinho and decided to pass.

This perhaps makes sense, reports were that Manchester United were not keen on Mourinho because of his attitude and the possible ramifications that could bring on the club. With his implosion at Chelsea signalling that these outbursts were actually becoming more damaging, this would be more cause for concern. On the field, Van Gaal was being criticised for his style of play and whilst Mourinho isn't stuck to possession principles like Van Gaal, Mourinho himself is notorious for putting results before style and this may not sit well with Manchester United fans, boards or investors.

It is possible that should Van Gaal not get top four, that Manchester United may panic and pull the Mourinho trigger button but right now this seems unlikely. They had their chance and decided not take it. If Van Gaal does leave this summer, Ryan Giggs would surely be the favourite to take over and Mourinho may still be in the managerial graveyard.

Real Madrid
Having returned to Chelsea, it was mooted that Real Madrid may turn to Mourinho with Benitez struggling with the pressure from fans and the media. Benitez was sacked and then Zinedine Zidane was appointed. Despite flirtation with the idea of bringing Mourinho back, they went for the inexperienced but more symbolic Zidane. The truth is that Real Madrid don't have huge problems with their squad, so Zidane could be successful without changing too much. Benitez left with a pretty decent record, even if the mood around the club didn't reflect that. Mourinho could have been brought back, but the club decided not to and this has to be worrying for Mourinho.

It could very well be that he burned bridges with Real Madrid's squad in his years there. Whilst Iker Casillas, his biggest rival, has now left, there still remains a core group of players at the club who simply don't like Mourinho and wouldn't welcome his return. Mourinho showed how toxic he can be in his time at Real Madrid and perhaps the club has decided that it's not worth it. Mourinho was relatively successful at the club with a La Liga and a Copa Del Rey to show for his three years there, but is that enough for a man who caused so much strife between the players and the amount of trouble he caused? Real Madrid don't seem to think so.

With the transfer ban being imposed for over a year it also remains to be seen whether Jose Mourinho would even find the prospect of a return that enticing without the open chequebook he has gotten used to.

Manchester City
There is always the possibility that the other oil baron of the Premier League will have a look at Jose Mourinho and consider the move. However, the likelihood is they would quickly move away from that thought. Manchester City will have their eyes firmly on Pep Guardiola and even then, so long as there is no disastrous second half to the season would probably choose Pellegrini again rather than go for Mourinho. Jose Mourinho has been very successful but considering the calm that Pellegrini has brought after Mancini's own destructive style of management, it seems very unlikely that Jose Mourinho would be brought in.

PSG
This is probably the one many see as a natural fit, PSG are "new money" in football, they are still in the process of making their mark on world football so bringing in the man that turned Chelsea from "new money" into the established European giants would make sense. Mourinho would enjoy the chance to spend a lot of money. The challenge in the league is practically non-existent which would allow him to focus on his true love of the Champions League. He'd be reunited with Zlatan Ibrahimovic and a couple other players he's worked with before and would offer him an opportunity to secure his legend by succeeding in yet another country.

But PSG are quite content with Laurent Blanc for now, he's had a lot of success in the league, he's building a pretty good squad and is only beginning the process of removing the older players, something Mourinho hasn't really shown success in doing. So long as PSG progress well in the Champions League it seems unlikely Blanc will be fired and Mourinho brought in. PSG also harbour ambitions of signing Cristiano Ronaldo, something that would come less likely should Mourinho be the man in charge.

Bayern Munich
Obviously they have hired Carlo Ancelotti now, but it's interesting that there didn't even seem to be a conversation about Mourinho being brought in. He's also been outspoken in how little he thinks of the lack of competition in the German league in the past. Bayern Munich could completely ignore Mourinho in this case and sign Ancelotti who has been probably unfairly sacked from two of the same clubs that Mourinho himself has managed. Ancelotti, with success at Chelsea, PSG and Real Madrid in recent years, whilst also having good relationships with all his players and the media has become the far more palpable option to Mourinho's bitter taste.

Barcelona
Not a chance. Even if Luis Enrique were under pressure, it would take a remarkable set of circumstances for Jose Mourinho to ever be considered.

So has Mourinho left himself in the darkness? His attitude and actions this year, combined with results (probably caused a lot by his attitude and actions) led even Chelsea to sack him, just a few months after winning the Premier League. Is Mourinho destined to be the up-market Alan Curbishley, perpetually available, but never actually hired. Or will time make people forget the bad and remember the good, leading to a European giant deciding to bring him back from the wilderness.

Whilst Jose Mourinho has said he will not be taking a sabbatical, it seems he's going to be forced into one. The summer will likely be the very earliest he is hired and even then it's really hard to see by who. Perhaps international management may come calling. With Euro 2016 ready to be played, will his home country of Portugal turn to one of their greatest footballing exports to turn them into world beaters? Or will the side that flirted with him in 2006; England decide that it's time to throw away the dull Roy Hodgson and bring fireworks into the mix and hire Jose Mourinho? Time will tell.

What is more certain is that Jose Mourinho despite his career of success has done a lot of damage to himself over the years and particularly last year and he has to work hard now to repair that, otherwise he will risk leaving a legacy not of a footballing great but of a personal disaster.

Two options, for me. PSG or Man Utd. Laurent Blanc is not secure, winning Ligue 1 is a guarantee, it's the Champions League which is the determining factor, in whether he keeps his job. Jose would have the money & his family would probably be able to stay in London too. Manchester United would be the back-up job, as we know LVG will be replaced at some point. Jose knows the league, usually sparks an immediate turnaround, which United desperately need & his family can stay in London, where they are extremely happy.