Jose Mourinho sheds light on Man Utd structure issue preceding Sir Jim Ratcliffe agreement

Jose Mourinho, the former manager of Manchester United, has shed light on the challenges he faced throughout his two-year tenure. He conceded struggling with the absence of direct communication with the Glazer family, the owners of the club, and found interacting with ex-chief Ed Woodward challenging, likening it to communicating with a 'fish out of water'.

Mourinho is optimistic, however, about changes in the club's structure currently underway by the new investor, Sir Jim Ratcliffe. The appointment of Omar Berrada is seen as a significant step by Mourinho to bring about improvement.

In 2013, two significant figures in Manchester United, Sir Alex Ferguson and chief executive David Gill, stepped down. This departure left two huge gaps in the club. Woodward, whose primary expertise is in business and finance, found it challenging to understand the intricacies of football. Mourinho's reign ended abruptly in 2018, months after his inability to secure his preferred transfer targets.

Mourinho, speaking to Rio Ferdinand Presents FIVE, defended his former boss. 'Despite people criticising Ed Woodward's work, I don't like it as I believe him to be a decent person. He might not be suitable for sports roles, but he is intelligent, polite, and correct,' Mourinho expressed.

Mourinho elucidated how challenging it was not to have a structure sharing the same principles and ideas, and not to maintain direct communication with the owners.

Mourinho also spoke highly of Richard Arnold, the group managing director whose focus was on the commercial aspects of the business and who later took over from Woodward as the chief executive until his departure from the club last year. Despite this, Arnold was not a 'football man' in Mourinho's view.

These experiences have given Mourinho hope that Ratcliffe, who has already seen success with his other sports investments, can help restore the club to its former glory.

'I have a positive feeling for Sir Jim Ratcliffe. I have known him for years, and I am confident about his love for sports and his wealth of experience from smaller clubs, other sports and cycling. I hope things are moving in the right direction,' comments Mourinho.

Mourinho also denied rumors about his potential comeback to United during the interview, dispelling claims about him having 'unfinished business' at the club.