Louis van Gaal's replacement at Old Trafford must buy well, restore belief and strike a balance with history
It's over at last. Manchester United have sacked Louis van Gaal .
The Dutchman had been a dead man walking for months, but the axe finally fell on Monday morning in a meeting with Ed Woodward.
Watching in the wings is one Jose Mourinho . The King of Shadows has coveted the United job for years and now looks set to get his wish, with an announcement expected in the next couple of days.
It promises to be a busy summer at Old Trafford as Mourinho seeks to arrest the club's recent slide.
Here are seven things we will need to do:
1. Get the dressing room onside
The priority for Mourinho must be bringing unity to a dressing room that was teetering on mutiny in the final days of Van Gaal's reign. There have been stories in recent days of senior players voicing concerns on behalf of team-mates and the bizarre tracking of emails to players: hardly a culture likely to foster success.
Mourinho can be an abrasive character, of course, but he inspires a fierce loyalty in those who buy into his methods. If he can create the kind of us-vs-them atmosphere that has been missing since Sir Alex Ferguson's time at Old Trafford, it will go a long way.
2. Clear out the dead wood
United's squad is a funny thing: an odd-and-sods mix of players left over from the Ferguson years, a number of stopgap signings and a few footballers of genuine quality. The spine – David De Gea, Chris Smalling, Wayne Rooney , Anthony Martial – is there, but the tree needs pruning before it can grow afresh.
We all know Mourinho doesn't have a great deal of time for Juan Mata, but there are more pressing concerns over the likes of Bastian Schweinsteiger, Marcos Rojo, Morgan Schneiderlin, Phil Jones, Marouane Fellaini and Memphis Depay. Mourinho must decide – and quickly – who can be moved on this summer.
Read more: 5 possible ins and outs at Old Trafford
3. Bring in some quality and experience
Injuries to Schweinsteiger, Rooney and Michael Carrick left United with a dearth of experience at times last season. In attack, especially, too much was asked of Martial, Jesse Lingard and Marcus Rashford , and Van Gaal was lucky they rose to the challenge so often despite still being relative novices at the top level.
The mooted swoop for Zlatan Ibrahimovic would certainly solve that problem, but there are other areas that need attention. The defence would benefit from some more competition for places - John Stones and Marquinhos are likely targets – and new midfield talent will be needed if those there now are axed. It could be a busy summer.
4. Strike a balance with history
Mourinho and United are, on the face of it, not the perfect match. This is a club that has always prided itself on its attacking philosophy and a commitment to promoting young talent; Mourinho is a master of backs-against-the-wall football and has spent much of his career refusing to put his faith in kids.
Something's got to give. The turgid performances under Van Gaal have probably reset expectations at Old Trafford somewhat, which is in Mourinho's favour. But he will need to play the likes of Rashford and Cameron Borthwick-Jackson or risk a backlash from supporters.
5. Answer the Wayne Rooney question
Mourinho is a big fan of Rooney and tried to sign him for Chelsea during his time at Stamford Bridge. So there's no doubt that the Manchester United captain will remain a key player under the new manager.
But what about Rooney's role? The 30-year-old has been used in midfield since returning from injury, but that could just be because Van Gaal had lost faith in the likes of Schneiderlin and Ander Herrera. But with some summer investment, he could well be shunted forward, where Rashford and Martial have been shining.
6. Restore some belief at Old Trafford
Many United fans showed impressive loyalty to Van Gaal, even as he was being panned by former players and neutrals. But it cannot be denied that belief in the side has ebbed away over the last couple of years (and, to be fair, during the David Moyes era), to the extent that tedious performances have come to be seen as the norm.
Tactically, Mourinho is no great entertainer. But a little bit of trademark spark on the touchline will go a long way to restoring a positive atmosphere.
When Mourinho returned to Chelsea in 2013, he was at pains to stress that he was keen to build a legacy. "I'm one of you," he told the fans, and it really did seem like he was going to be there for the long haul.
We all know what happened next, of course, and perhaps it was naive to expect the master of the short-term, scorched-earth managerial stint to morph into a Ferguson figure. But still, the sheer ugliness of his downfall – the Carneiro affair, the infighting – raised a few eyebrows.
He will get into scrapes at United. It's his nature. But Mourinho must make sure the results do the talking first and foremost. If he brings success on the field, he will be forgiven his foibles.