According to a report by Manchester Evening News on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, former AC Milan and Chelsea midfielder Ruud Gullit believes Manchester United made a major mistake by sacking Jose Mourinho too early, arguing that the Portuguese manager deserved more time to prove himself at Old Trafford.

Manchester United have struggled with managerial stability since Sir Alex Ferguson stepped down in 2013. The club have parted ways with six permanent managers, including David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Erik ten Hag and Ruben Amorim.

Michael Carrick is currently in charge of the team, although the former United midfielder could also find himself under similar pressure to that experienced by his predecessors. Meanwhile, concerns about the club's leadership and long-term managerial plans remain a major talking point.

Mourinho took charge at Old Trafford in May 2016 following the departure of Louis van Gaal. During his first season, he guided the Red Devils to victories in the Europa League and League Cup, securing two important trophies.

The Portuguese tactician later led United to a second-place finish in the Premier League during the 2017-18 season. However, despite that achievement, he was dismissed in December 2018 following a disappointing run of results and disagreements with the club's hierarchy.

Speaking on Football Uncensored, Gullit criticised Manchester United's decision to part ways with Mourinho, insisting that football clubs must exercise patience with their managers, especially when the available squad lacks sufficient quality.

Gullit said: “I think that Mourinho was too quick. Too quick for no reason. Like Tottenham did again with him also, when he was in the final, you know. So, therefore, you need patience. And a lot of these teams don’t have patience.”

The former midfielder also argued that Manchester United's expectations have become unrealistic considering the quality of players available to their managers.

He further stated: “The expectations are too high at the moment, for the simple fact that they don’t have the best players. But the point is, they invested a lot in coaches. I think some coaches they got rid of them too soon.”

Mourinho spent 935 days as Manchester United manager, taking charge of 144 matches during his spell. He recorded 84 victories, 32 draws and 28 defeats, achieving an impressive win percentage of 58.3 per cent while winning three trophies.

Although he finished sixth in his first Premier League season before securing second place the following campaign, his time at Old Trafford eventually came to an end.

Interestingly, since Ferguson's departure, only Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has managed to match Mourinho's achievement of finishing second in the Premier League.