Manchester United decided a long time ago that they wouldn’t be getting involved in the speculation surrounding Louis van Gaal’s job.
Any question about the Dutchman’s future or Jose Mourinho’s availability has been batted away. The official line has always been that the club don’t want to do anything that might add ‘fuel to the fire’.
You can read it one of two ways. Either United think that Van Gaal’s contract, that doesn’t expire until 2017, speaks for itself. Or they are ‘refusing to deny’ – as the headline writers say – the Mourinho stories because there is a very real possibility the former Chelsea coach will be in the Old Trafford dug-out next season.
Ultimately, it comes down to stability.
It was December when the ‘fire’, as United put it, started. Mourinho was sacked by Chelsea on December 17, halfway through United’s run of four straight defeats to Wolfsburg – which confirmed their exit from the Champions League - Bournemouth, Norwich and Stoke.
The speculation spiked again after back-to-back defeats to Sunderland and FC Midtjylland in February and to West Brom and Liverpool in the Europa League in March.
But on each occasion there was still something to play for. And there was a danger any hint through the official channels could have disrupted the season beyond repair. Many fans will argue it was already heading that way anyway, but you can see where United were coming from.
Watch: Will Mourinho join Manchester United this summer?
However, after remaining silent for the best part of five months, executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward will eventually have to change his stance. At some point he will have to tell everyone what the future is going to look like.
The day after the FA Cup final will do. United season ticket holders have until June 1 to renew and there are some – not all – who want to know who the manager will be before handing over another £700.
It is, after all, a lot of money to pay to see your team score 24 league goals – two fewer than Norwich have achieved at Carrow Road.
It’s obvious why it would be in the club’s interests to make a announcement quickly if they have decided to make a change. The new manager, whether it’s Mourinho or someone else, will need as much time as possible to plan and prepare for the summer tour of China and the new season.
But if the decision is to stick with Van Gaal then Woodward will have to announce that, too. The speculation has reached such a level that it won’t just go away.
A declaration of support for Van Gaal would, initially, be met with disbelief by many supporters. But, at the very least, it would allow United to draw a line under what has been a disappointing season and move on.
United’s official stance to a season of speculation has been to limit the damage and retain some sense of stability. The only way to do the same through the summer is for Woodward to speak out – one way or the other.