Manchester United chief Woodward chose to sack Mourinho last week after talking the decision over with the Glazer family.
The Red Devils opted to get rid of Mourinho with the 55-year-old clashing with the likes of Paul Pogba, Anthony Martial, Luke Shaw and Alexis Sanchez during his time in charge.
While Mourinho’s head has rolled, some Manchester United fans would love for Woodward to follow suit.
Earlier in the season, a section of the club’s supporters paid for a banner to fly over a match against Burnley calling for Woodward’s head.
Mourinho has become the third managerial casualty of the Woodward era after seeing Louis van Gaal and David Moyes fail.
ESPN say, however, that United’s Glazer family will not be sacking Woodward despite his failings.
It is said that, while they rule the club, Woodward remains the safest man at Old Trafford.
The 47-year-old helped facilitate their takeover of the club in 2005 when he was involved in finances.
And ESPN quote a source as saying he would be ‘the last man standing at United if they [Glazers] had to make everybody redundant apart from the guy who stayed to keep the lights on.’
Meanwhile, Woodward’s nous at Old Trafford has been questioned by fans and pundits alike.
And professor Chris Brady, sport expert at the University of Salford Business School, has now criticised the United chief.
“If Mourinho could have been smart enough to accept a director of football/ sporting director or whatever name you call it, it would have been good for the club and it could have saved his career at Manchester United,” Brady said.
“The problem is the need of some coaches/ managers to ‘do it all’ and it’s just not possible in the size of businesses into which the big clubs have evolved.
“Mourinho, and all head coaches, need a boss to help with their worst excesses.
“Woodward wasn’t that person. Woodward should be receiving a good proportion of the blame for this situation.
“As an FD/commercial director he is without peer – as a CEO (which is what he is) he is ineffective at best.”
