---
title: "Jose Mourinho must cull eight players in January"
canonical: "https://readmanutd.com/2016/11/08/jose-mourinho-must-cull-eight-players-january/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
section: "Articles"
published: "2016-11-08T21:46:58Z"
modified: "2016-11-08T21:46:58Z"
---

# Jose Mourinho must cull eight players in January

Manchester United are doomed. Sure, that seems like a drastic statement to make, but there are a lot of clues to support it. Just look at the [sportsbetting lines](https://mybookie.ag/sportsbook/).

Clearly United aren’t the force they once were; they have struggled to find their footing since Alex Ferguson left, and the managers and coaches they have cycled through have done little to improve matters.

Once upon a time, United looked like the sort of giant that simply couldn’t fall; but that was because they had never struggled with the sort of complications that can arise when a club is unable to lock down the right manager, at least not in recent times.

None of United’s previous managers were bad, not by any definition of that word; yet, it was clear that they simply couldn’t fit into the United system, hence the reason why the team struggled so much to just maintain its place in the top four.

It is worth noting that Manchester United has chosen to place most of the burden regarding the team’s failures on incoming managers and coaches. One would think that Alex Ferguson would bear some of the blame, seeing as he didn’t leave the team in the best situation.

![Paul Gilham/Getty Images Sport](https://media.readmanutd.com/readmanutd/2016/11/533185698.jpg)

Then again, that is the very reason why Alex Ferguson was the perfect fit for a Manchester United manager; he understood the system and he could easily manipulate it to deliver wins, even when his roster of players didn’t look like they had what it took to actually succeed.

Alex knew how to make Manchester United work; subsequent managers and coaches haven’t been as lucky, and Mourinho is just the latest coach to fumble his way through the United system.

Mourinho has wanted the [Manchester United Job](https://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/28/sports/soccer/manchester-united-hired-jose-mourinho-heres-what-will-happen.html) for years. In fact, it was presumed that Mourinho would take over the moment Ferguson left. However, that didn’t happen; and so, Mourinho’s recent ascension to Manchester United boss was met with anticipation, with many excited about the way the legendary coach would shake things up at Manchester United.

Suffice to say, things haven’t been rosy for Mourinho; and you would think that, by now, he would have started panicking about his future at the club. Yet, it looks like the powers that be are more interested in helping Mourinho streamline the club than threatening his position.

![Matthew Lewis/Getty Images Sport](https://media.readmanutd.com/readmanutd/2016/11/596254736.jpg)

The fact that they still believe in Mourinho will go a long way in helping the famous manager bring the club under his control. News coming out of the grapevine suggests that Mourinho has been told to sell eight of his players in January.

That isn’t a big ask; Mourinho has been threatening to cull United’s players ever since he arrived. Clearly, his bosses agree with his idea that the club must be trimmed of all its excess fat.

More importantly, Manchester United has so many players that have been underperforming. Mourinho probably shouldn’t be faulted for struggling to manage Manchester United.

The club has a far bigger squad than he is used to dealing with; Mourinho already suggested that he had no use for players like Phil Jones, Matteo Darmian and Marcos Rojo.