Jose Mourinho was 'very alone' at Manchester United without a sporting director, according to his friend Pedrag Mijatovic.
Mourinho encountered various issues whist working with United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward and ended the 2018 summer transfer window without two priority targets. Mourinho complained about a lack of face-time with Woodward on the pre-season tour of the United States and warned it would be a 'difficult season' if United did not enhance their squad.
United sacked Mourinho on December 18 but still finished sixth under his replacement Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, despite a prolonged managerial bounce. Mourinho recently said the 'organisation' at United was an existing problem.
Former Real Madrid forward Mijatovic was with him in Zagreb with the intention of watching one-time United target Ivan Perisic two years ago and recommended he sign Luka Modric in 2012. Mijatovic was also by Mourinho's side in Podgorica in September for Serbia's win over Montenegro to watch Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and the Serbian says Mourinho needed a sporting director at United.
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"Mou is a smart guy, as well as a great coach and a great friend," Mijatovic told La Gerna. "I am sorry for what is happening lately and I also think it deserves a lot more respect than what is given to it.
"In the last clubs where he has been he has found himself very alone. He has missed a sports director. People believe the sports director is a figure who only works three months in summer. It is not true. He is a fundamental figure between the training group and the club's high levels, because there is often a need to bring the points of view of each other closer together. Someone has to mediate.
"Mourinho, wherever he has been, including Real Madrid, has not had that person between the president and general manager, on the one hand, and technician and staff on the other. You as a coach can manage the problems with the club of some players, but not 25.
"You also need that person to say, 'You're wrong, mister' or to analyse with him a certain situation."
Earlier this month, Mourinho told L'Équipe: "The problems are there, you can imagine that it is the players, the organisation, the ambition. I only say that I cannot say when you ask if Paul was the only one responsible."
Mourinho has said he wants to work with a sporting director at his next club and United intend to appoint a technical director before the start of next season. United sources were adamant Mourinho did not want to work with a technical director.
