What damage does Carlos Queiroz's departure do at Old Trafford? Sir Alex Ferguson's highly respected assistant has left to become Portugal manager but what are the ramifications?
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The loss of Queiroz will be felt in two areas: on the training field and in the transfer market, where Portuguese speakers are coveted.
However, the idea that he has jeopardised his long-term chances of succeeding Ferguson in 2011 should not be bleak tidings for United supporters. Queiroz is a great coach but he can't manage.
Queiroz has built his career on the foundations of success with the 'golden generation', the group of Portuguese footballers - including Luis Figo - he helped unearth at the end of the Eighties and moulded into world youth champions in 1989 and 1991. Yet his subsequent work was far from convincing. In his first spell as Portugal coach (91-93) he failed to qualify for either Euro 92 or the World Cup in 94.
With a glittering Sporting Lisbon (94-96) side he failed to win the Portuguese league. Then came years in the background, in charge of clubs in the United States, Japan and the United Arab Emirates national team. There was some degree of rehabilitation as he coaxed World Cup qualification out of South Africa in 2002, only to resign before the finals.
He seemed to discover his vocation when he became Ferguson's No 2 that year, only to lose it again with a disastrous short tenure at Real Madrid. He never had full control of team affairs and was sacked after 10 months.
Not entirely his fault but another failure. That is not to underplay Queiroz's huge contribtuion to the building of this United team. He facilitated the signing of Anderson and Nani and was influential in the development of Cristiano Ronaldo. He's a natural foil to Ferguson. But, unlike Martin O'Neill or Mark Hughes, he lacks the presence to measure himself for the formidable fit of Ferguson's shoes.
