Steve Bruce has claimed that “relentless winner” Jose Mourinho has been the best Manchester United manager since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013.
Once tipped as a future United manager after Ferguson, Mourinho finally arrived at Old Trafford in 2016 after Louis van Gaal was sacked following his FA Cup triumph.
Mourinho made an immediate impact at United by lifting both the Europa League title and the League Cup trophy in his debut season at Old Trafford.
The 60-year-old Portuguese manager built on his momentum in his second season and led United to a second-place finish in the Premier League, falling 19 points short of crosstown rivals Manchester City in the title race.
However, Mourinho’s time at United began to unravel in his third and final season and he was sacked in December 2018 after a poor start to the 2018-19 campaign.
Bruce on Mourinho’s time at United
Mourinho, who is now in charge of Roma, was replaced at United by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as caretaker manager before the club legend’s appointment was made permanent in 2019.
Solskjaer, much like Mourinho, would later be sacked by United and replaced with Ralf Rangnick as interim manager until the end of the 2021-22 season.
Erik ten Hag arrived from Ajax in 2022 to succeed Rangnick in the Old Trafford hot seat, with the Dutchman leading United to their first trophy in six years last season.
Speaking to talkSPORT host Simon Jordan, Bruce believes that former Chelsea manager Mourinho was not “everyone’s cup of tea” during his time at United.
He told Up Front With Simon Jordan: “Mourinho won a couple of trophies [at United], didn’t he?
“However, he wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea with the way that he played or whatever.
“I don’t think you can ever criticise him because [of what he has won]. When the word ‘great’ comes into it, he is in that conversation. He has to be.”
When asked who was United’s best manager since Ferguson, Bruce insisted that the ‘Special One’ is still the man to beat due to his silverware success.
“I think, for me, it would have to be Mourinho because of what he has won,” Bruce continued.
“People talk about style and all the rest of it, but he brings you trophies.
“He is a relentless winner. For me, Jose is a special talent.”
Bruce impressed with Ten Hag
Mourinho does often come out on top for many fans as the best United manager since Ferguson called it time on his legendary managerial career.
However, the ex-Inter Milan and Real Madrid boss could be dethroned if Ten Hag is able to keep on winning silverware at United and bring league title success back to the club.
Ten Hag came within touching distance of winning two trophies with United last season, but his side failed to lift the FA Cup trophy after a final defeat to City.
The Dutchman has come under heavy criticism this season, but Ten Hag has plenty of time to turn the tide back in his favour and regain his mojo at the club.
Bruce, who lifted three Premier League titles under Ferguson, admitted that he admires what the former Ajax boss has achieved so far at United.
“The manager has done really well in the last 12 months considering what he has had [to deal with],” he added.
“I think he knows, and all the Man United fans know, that there is still a hell of a long way to get anywhere near Man City now.”
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