Mourinho can deliver exciting football at United, says Scholes

Jose Mourinho will bring attacking flair back to Manchester United, having learnt from the mistakes of Louis van Gaal, the club’s former midfielder Paul Scholes has said.

The Dutch manager’s two-year tenure at Old Trafford ended on Monday, two days after his side won the FA Cup — United’s first trophy in three years — with Mourinho set to replace him.

The Portuguese coach, who was sacked by Chelsea in December, has agreed personal terms with United to take over from Van Gaal, according to reports by Sky TV.

“The fans at Man United demand entertaining football, and I’m sure Mourinho will come and try and give it,” Scholes told British media.

The former midfielder, who won 11 league titles with United, was an outspoken critic of Van Gaal’s time at the helm.

United finished fifth in the Premier League this season under the Dutchman, scoring 49 goals, their lowest tally since the 1989-90 campaign, and Scholes said Mourinho was the right man to spark a revival at Old Trafford.

“I think Mourinho will have watched that closely and will have seen what happened. He’s a top manager, he’s proven that before and hopefully he can do that again,” Scholes added.

Scholes also expressed hope that the change of managers would not result in his former team mate Ryan Giggs, who was Van Gaal’s assistant, leaving the club’s backroom staff.

“I think it’s important that there’s some form of continuity I suppose,” Scholes said.

“[Giggs] knows the club inside out, he’s been there for nearly 30 years now, as a coach the last three years, and hopefully he’ll be there and be able to stay.”

— File photo by Reuters