AC Milan legend Ruud Gullit has criticised Manchester United's decision to dismiss Jose Mourinho, arguing that the Portuguese manager was removed from his position at Old Trafford too early. The former Netherlands international believes Mourinho deserved more time to build a competitive team and maintain the progress he had achieved during his spell in charge of the Premier League giants.

Manchester United have struggled to establish long-term managerial stability since the departure of legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson. The club have dismissed several permanent managers, with David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Erik ten Hag and Ruben Amorim all failing to maintain their positions over extended periods.

Michael Carrick is currently occupying the managerial position, but questions remain about the club's long-term direction and ability to provide a stable environment for whoever takes responsibility for the first team. The former United midfielder could eventually experience the same pressure faced by his predecessors if results fail to meet expectations.

Mourinho arrived at Old Trafford following the departure of Louis van Gaal, bringing considerable experience and a reputation for winning major trophies. His appointment generated excitement among supporters, who believed the Portuguese tactician could restore Manchester United to their former position among Europe's leading clubs.

His first season produced encouraging results, as he guided the team to victories in the Europa League and League Cup. Those achievements provided United with important silverware and demonstrated Mourinho's ability to deliver success despite inheriting a squad that still required considerable improvement.

The Portuguese manager continued his progress by leading Manchester United to second place in the Premier League during the 2017-18 campaign. The achievement was particularly significant because it represented one of the club's strongest league finishes since Ferguson retired. However, his relationship with the club's hierarchy and several players gradually deteriorated.

Despite his achievements, Mourinho was dismissed in December 2018 following a disappointing sequence of results and growing disagreements behind the scenes. His departure became another example of Manchester United's difficulties in maintaining managerial continuity during the period after Ferguson's retirement.

Speaking on Football Uncensored, Gullit questioned the decision to remove Mourinho, suggesting that the club should have demonstrated greater patience rather than making another managerial change. The former Chelsea and AC Milan midfielder believes football clubs sometimes make decisions too quickly without properly considering the circumstances affecting their managers.

Gullit also referred to Tottenham's decision to dismiss Mourinho, arguing that the Portuguese coach has repeatedly experienced situations in which clubs have failed to give him sufficient time. He believes patience is an important requirement for managers who are expected to rebuild teams and deliver consistent success.

“I think that Mourinho was too quick. Too quick for no reason. Like Tottenham did again with him also, when he was in the final, you know. So, therefore, you need patience. And a lot of these teams don’t have patience,” Gullit explained.

The former Netherlands international further suggested that Manchester United's expectations have become excessive considering the quality of players available to their managers. In his assessment, clubs cannot continuously demand major achievements without ensuring that their squads contain enough quality to compete at the highest level.

He also questioned the amount of money Manchester United have invested in managerial appointments while repeatedly making decisions to dismiss coaches before their projects have developed fully.

“The expectations are too high at the moment, for the simple fact that they don’t have the best players. But the point is, they invested a lot in coaches. I think some coaches they got rid of them too soon,” he added.

Mourinho's record at Manchester United provides further evidence of the achievements he delivered during his time at the club. He spent 935 days in charge, overseeing 144 matches, recording 84 victories, 32 draws and 28 defeats. His overall win percentage stood at an impressive 58.3 per cent.

During that period, he also secured three trophies, making his managerial spell one of the more successful periods United experienced after Ferguson's departure. Although he finished sixth in his first Premier League season, his subsequent second-place finish demonstrated that the team was capable of competing near the top of the table.

Interestingly, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer remains the only other Manchester United manager to match Mourinho's second-place Premier League achievement since Ferguson retired. Gullit's comments have therefore renewed discussions about whether the club made the right decision by ending Mourinho's tenure rather than allowing him additional time to continue rebuilding the team.