Ferdinand congratulates Mourinho for taking Manchester United job

by
ason Cairnduff / Reuters

Manchester United hasn't announced the appointment of Jose Mourinho just yet but former defender Rio Ferdinand has already sang the Portuguese tactician's praises, taking to Facebook to offer his congratulations.

Ferdinand, now a pundit at BBC, posted a photo of himself and Mourinho with a lengthy piece offering his thoughts on the appointment.

"Congratulations to Jose on being announced manager of the biggest club in the world!" Ferdinand wrote on his official Facebook account. "This is Jose Mourinho's most exciting and most challenging job yet."

Ferdinand went on to outline a list of things Mourinho has to accomplish at the helm of the storied club, including reinstalling a "winning mentality," playing the "Manchester United style" with "direct and quick" play, and maintaining the team's tradition of "bringing through the young players."

Ferdinand also writes that Mourinho's disastrous final season at Stamford Bridge makes him "a wounded animal" hungry to return to his very best.

"Jose went from winning the League cup and Premier League to a season of disappointment at Chelsea and I am certain he will want to restore all of that very quickly," Ferdinand wrote. "He will be desperate to silence the media who have been writing and saying negative things about him (he will have stored it all being the competitor he is) and will be as focused as ever.

"Mourinho's huge personality is made for this great club, it's what he has been waiting for. Wishing him all the best!"

The Digest

Complete coverage: United fires Van Gaal, hires Mourinho

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Here's everything you need to know about Manchester United's decision to cut ties with bench boss Louis van Gaal, and the impending arrival of the self-proclaimed Special One, Jose Mourinho.

ONE OUT, ONE IN

REACTION

Not many people, aside from perhaps Daley Blind, were too distraught over the announcement of Van Gaal's firing:

The reaction the the appointment of the bombastic Portuguese, however, was understandably rooted in excitement:

LOOKING BACK AT VAN GAAL'S TENURE

GETTING READY FOR MOURINHO

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