Manchester United made £170mn by sacking Jose Mourinho
While fans are worried about Manchester United's performance after they sacked Jose Mourinho, University of Liverpool lecturer Kieran Maguire says that the club has made a financial gain by firing the Portuguese manager. The stock market has reacted positively to the sacking of Mourinho, with the club's value having increased by £170 million after the decision was announced. Further details follow.
Why did the sacking shows financial gain for United?
According to Maguire, Mourinho was "turning into a toxic brand for the club", as his unfriendly nature with the media and poor performances were bad for business. He believes that United required a more media-friendly manager who could promise trophies and would have a positive impact on sponsors and advertisers. He added that United being associated with success, they cannot go long without it.
Ferguson-era success will take a decade to erode: Maguire
Maguire told Sky Sports that United being the world's biggest sporting brand, it was natural that they would have the most number of sponsors as everyone wants to be associated with success. However, "The gloss of the moderate success Jose Mourinho achieved was beginning to dust slightly." Maguire believes that the commercial value of the success achieved during Ferguson's era will take at least a decade to wear off.
Why City still don't have United's appeal
While Manchester City have been much more successful in the post-Ferguson era, their commercial appeal is not as close to United because they have not yet achieved European success. Moreover, they have not given the world athletes who themselves can become hugely marketable sporting brands, like a David Beckham or a Cristiano Ronaldo or a Paul Pogba. Thus United still remain sponsors' favorite.
United more business than football?
While United have been earning those extra bucks, serious fans of the club's football are getting worried about the football they are supposed to play. Questions have been raised about whether the club is just aiming for good business and not good football that its fans would cheer for. Some even believe Pogba was bought because he was becoming a hugely marketable brand.
