“There was something quite poignant in Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, two of the managers who ultimately tried and failed to make sense of the post-Sir Alex Ferguson Manchester United, both being sacked by Istanbul clubs within 12 hours of each other. Besiktas dispensed with Solskjaer late on Thursday evening, then on Friday morning Fenerbahce announced they had ‘parted ways’ with Mourinho, after 14 months in charge and with the earth suitably scorched and smouldering behind him. In some respects, Mourinho’s departure was a surprise. Fenerbahce had stuck with him after a trophyless first season in charge, so the expectation was that if they were going to make a change, it would have been earlier in the summer. The dressing room was surprised: they had returned from a Champions League qualifier against Benfica on Wednesday and were expecting Mourinho to take charge of training on Friday and their game against Genclerbirligi this weekend. But in other ways, it wasn’t a shock. …”
NY Times/The Athletic
Why Jose Mourinho was sacked: Champions League exit and attitude towards Fenerbahce
Leave a reply
“More a meeting of the infirm than a battle of the Old Firm, Rangers and Celtic arrive almost apologetically to their biggest domestic game of the season so far, the bunfight at the Not OK Corral of Ibrox on Sunday. Rangers and Celtic have their own bespoke version of Newton’s Law – when one is up the other must be down – but that’s not the case this time. For once, there is equilibrium. It won’t last, but following their European humiliations during the week, they are for now in the horrors together, side by side. Their supporters enraged, their respective boards under siege, it’s hard to remember a time when both clubs were in such a grim place at the same time. …”
Scissors Kick 