Jose Mourinho has been linked with a return to the Premier League (Picture: Getty)
Everton have been warned over hiring ‘bitter and dour’ Jose Mourinho amid speculation the club’s incoming owners want to bring him to Goodison Park.
The Friedkin Group’s takeover of Everton is currently going through after they reached an agreement to buy Farhad Moshiri’s majority 94% stake in the Toffees.
Owner and CEO of the company, Dan Friedkin, is said to be interested in appointing superstar manager Mourinho, who has managed the likes of Real Madrid, Chelsea and Manchester United.
But former Everton player and coach Alan Stubbs doubts that would be a ‘good move’ for the Toffees and says Mourinho has grown ‘bitter and dour’ in recent years.
Mourinho’s spells in charge of Man United and Tottenham both ended badly and Stubbs believes the 61-year-old is not the same manager who was regarded as one of the best in the world over a decade ago.
‘If Everton were going to appoint the Mourinho of old, the young Mourinho who was so successful and charismatic, then I would say yes bring him into the football club, and without being disrespectful to Sean Dyche, I think most Everton fans would because peak Mourinho was a very special manager,’ Stubbs told BestBettingSites.com.
‘If Everton were going to move for him now, I don’t think it would be a good move to be honest.
Everton have expressed interest in hiring Mourinho (Picture: Getty)
‘His last few spells in management haven’t really worked out for him. He still provides that bit of sparkle on occasion, but it’s rare. I think he has got a little bit bitter and dour over the last decade.
‘He’s obviously had an amazing career. I’m not too sure whether he’s the right man, and whether or not this is the right time.
‘Obviously, the Friedkin Group knows him well, so if they make a decision and want him to come in, I’ll have to get right behind that.
‘If Daniel Friedkin thinks that Jose Mourinho can take Everton to the place the club wants to be, then he would have my full support in the job.’
Sean Dyche remains under pressure at Goodison Park (Picture: Getty)
Everton have also been linked with other managers following a dismal start to the season under Sean Dyche.
The Toffees lost their first four games of the campaign before easing relegation concerns by taking five points from their last three fixtures, including a much-needed win over Crystal Palace.
‘Recent performances from Everton have definitely eased relegation concerns,’ added Stubbs, who played for the club between 2006 and 2008 and then coached at Goodison Park following his retirement.
‘Despite the results, the losses when in front, I think most Evertonians were confident that they would be alright because, when you look at the squad, Everton have a much stronger squad than last season.
Everton have begun to pick up under Dyche (Picture: Getty)
‘That gave me confidence that Everton weren’t going to be in the same predicament as they were in last season.
‘The performances this season have been positive in terms of getting at teams and having a go, whereas last season, there were some really drab and dire performances that weren’t good to watch.
‘There were too many games where we didn’t have any shots on target and didn’t really threaten the opposition. In those games, you’re surviving. You’re hanging onto things and you’re scraping results.
‘This season, especially with the addition of Iliman Ndiaye, Everton have certainly looked to get at teams and they’re scoring more goals. They’re creating chances.
‘The Bournemouth game, which is obviously the one that everyone will speak about, for 75 minutes, Everton played as well as I’ve seen them play in the last five years.
‘In the 10 minutes they lost the game, I’m looking around in disbelief because they went from absolutely cruising to losing the plot and looking all over the place.’
Mourinho was appointed as manager of Fenerbahce in June and has enjoyed a promising start to his reign at the Turkish club, winning five of his first seven league games in charge to sit fourth in the Super Lig table.
The two-time Champions League winner faces his former club Manchester United in the Europa League later in the month and will look to pile the pressure on Erik ten Hag, if the struggling Dutchman is still in charge by then.
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