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Tag: Mourinho

  • Five games without a win would not be good enough – Mourinho

    Five games without a win would not be good enough – Mourinho

    Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has admitted it would not be good enough for his side to go five matches without a win.

    The Portuguese is under pressure after United’s worst start to a league campaign for 29 years.
    His side have not won at Old Trafford since the opening day of the season.
    “We can do much better. To do that we need points – points we lost in the last two matches,” Mourinho said before Saturday’s home game against Newcastle.
    Tuesday’s goalless home draw against Valencia in the Champions League followed defeat at West Ham, a Carabao Cup exit on penalties to Championship side Derby and a draw with Wolves.
    Asked at a news conference on Friday if another match without a victory would not be good enough for a club of United’s size, Mourinho replied: “Yes, I accept.”
    The 55-year-old, who was involved in an apparent training-ground dispute with midfielder Paul Pogba last week, said there were “many reasons” for the winless run, but declined to explain what they were.
    He did not answer when asked if he could assure fans he was doing everything possible to turn the team’s form around.
    Paul Scholes has followed former Manchester United team-mate Ryan Giggs in saying United should stick with Mourinho, although the ex-England midfielder told BBC Radio 5 live he is “sick of him moaning”.
    United are looking to avoid going five games without a victory for only the second time since 1999.
    The Derby result – which Mourinho does not classify as a defeat – followed a 1-1 draw with Wolves at Old Trafford, while United lost 3-0 at home to Tottenham earlier in the season.
    “Only one defeat at home all season, only one defeat in the past seven matches,” he said.
    “But no victories at home in the past three matches – three draws. Not the feeling of the defeat, but not the happiness of the victory.
    “So, yes, it is important for us to try and win this match on Saturday.”
    United are 10th in the Premier League, with 10 points from seven games, but take on a Newcastle side seeking their first win of the season.
    BBC

  • Manchester United to decide on Mourinho if he loses to Newcastle

    Manchester United to decide on Mourinho if he loses to Newcastle

    Manchester United on the premier league table is currently in the 10th position, which has made them left behind the rest of their top rivals including Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Tottenham, and Arsenal.
    On Tuesday night, they settled for a goalless draw with Valencia in the Champions League, days after they lost to West Ham 3 – 1, and got knocked out by Championship club Derby in the Carabao Cup.
    In all this, United legend Paul Ince has said he believes Mourinho could be sacked if his team is defeated by Newcastle.
    “If they lose on Saturday evening, particularly if it’s a bad loss, there will be a decision made on Jose Mourinho’s future very quickly,” Ince told Paddy Power.
    “If they don’t get a result against Newcastle this weekend, Jose Mourinho is in real danger.
    “He won’t walk, because that’s not in his character. I hate the thought of Jose being sacked.
    “But, If you’re not picking up results and there’s this black cloud hanging around Old Trafford, your time as manager is running out.
    He emphasized that the United are no better off than how they were before Mourinho.
    “In the past, you’d say United aren’t the kind of club to just sack a manager.
    “But it seems that is what they’re like now.”
    Ince also claimed that some players are trying to get Mourinho sacked by not playing for him.
    “It baffles me that Manchester United players are choosing when they want to put effort into playing for their club,” he added.
    “Every player in the shirt should be putting in effort and showing desire, even if you don’t get the result.
    “There’s no excuse for not putting in effort. These are professional footballers, on astronomical wages, playing for one of the biggest clubs ever.
    “It doesn’t sit right with me that it looks like they can’t be bothered.” He said.

  • Man Utd's captain apologises for liking 'time for Mourinho to go' Instagram post

    Man Utd's captain apologises for liking 'time for Mourinho to go' Instagram post

    Manchester United captain Antonio Valencia has apologised for liking an Instagram post which called for manager Jose Mourinho to be sacked.

    The 33-year-old, who reports said had fallen out with Mourinho, returned to the team for Tuesday’s 0-0 draw with Valencia in the Champions League.
    After the game, he liked a picture of himself which had the caption: “It’s time for Mourinho to go.”
    The Ecuadorian later wrote he liked the post “without reading the text”.
    “These are not my views and I apologise for this,” the full-back said on Twitter. “I am fully supportive of the manager and my team-mates. We are all giving our everything to improve the results.”
    Valencia, who joined United from Wigan in 2009, had missed United’s previous two games – their Carabao Cup exit to Derby, and 3-1 defeat by West Ham in the Premier League.
    Following their fourth successive game without a win, midfielder Paul Pogba told reporters in the post-match mixed zone interview area that he had “been told I’m not allowed” to talk.
    A clip of Pogba and Mourinho having a tense exchange on the training ground emerged last week, and the Portuguese has told the 25-year-old France international he will not captain the team again.
    Mourinho has also said “some [players] care more than others” at United and that “no player is bigger than the club”.
    They are 10th in the league after their worst start to a season in 29 years.
    Midfielder Marouane Fellaini, however, insisted the whole dressing room was behind the manager.
    “Everyone is going in the same direction to try to improve and to do better,” he added.

    BBC

  • UCL: Mourinho admits Man Utd lacks technical defensive quality

    UCL: Mourinho admits Man Utd lacks technical defensive quality

    Manchester United manager, Jose Mourinho has admitted that his players don’t have the technical abilities to play from defence after watching his team booed off at Old Trafford following their goalless draw with Valencia in the Champions League..
    The stalemate means Mourinho has gone four consecutive home games in all competitions without a win for the first time in his managerial career.
    The former Real Madrid and Chelsea manager also told BT Sports in his post-match interview that his forwards are not at their best moments of confidence.
    “We had probably a couple of the biggest chances to win it but I have accepted the result as a fair result. I said in pre-season last season was phenomenal to finish second. And I don’t say more than that,” Mourinho told BT Sport.
    “The players tried. They raised the level of their efforts. They raised the level of their intensity in spite of the fact we don’t have many with that intensity. We don’t have the technical quality to build from the back.
    “We tried to do something we did well which was to stop a fast team on the counter-attack. We knew we wouldn’t create 20 chances. Our attacking players aren’t in their best moments of confidence and individual level. We thought with three or four chances we would score and win the game.
    “It is a not a bad result. Not a good result, but not bad. We have two matches against Juventus to make points. It is a very difficult group, yes.”
    “We have Newcastle before the league stops then we have Chelsea and Juventus in three days. It will be good for the team if we can beat Newcastle,” Mourinho stated.

  • I’ll be one of the greatest in world even if Man Utd don’t win title – Mourinho

    Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho says he will be “one of the greatest managers in the world” even if he does not win the Premier League at the club.

    United have lost two of their first three league games, their worst start to a season since 1992-93.

    Defending his record, the 55-year-old quoted a German philosopher and said he was “the only manager to win in Italy, Spain and England”.

    He also said second place last season was “one of his greatest achievements”.

    “I am the manager of the one of the greatest clubs in the world but I’m also one of the greatest managers in the world,” said Mourinho.

    Asked if he would still be a great manager if he did not win the title with United – who have won the English top flight 20 times, including 13 Premier Leagues – the Portuguese replied: “Of course.

    “Did you never spend time reading the philosopher Hegel? He said: ‘The truth is in the whole. It’s always in the whole that you find the truth.’

    “Do you ask the same question to the manager that finished third in Premier League last season or the manager that finished fourth or fifth?”

    Mourinho’s latest comments come after a news conference during which he demanded “respect” from journalists following Monday’s 3-0 home loss to Tottenham – the heaviest home defeat of his career.

    He pointed out that the three Premier League titles he had won previously with Chelsea were more than the rest of the division’s managers combined.

    Before his team’s trip to Burnley on Sunday “I had great success last season and that’s probably what you don’t want to admit.

    “Two seasons ago we had a fantastic season because we won the Europa League. We won it because it was our level. We are the last team in England to win a European competition.

    “I have won eight titles. I’m the only manager to win in Italy, Spain and England.

    “Not small titles, proper titles, and my second place last season was one of my greatest achievements in football.”

    BBC

  • Mourinho still has Man Utd backing despite home defeat

    Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho still has the club’s backing despite Monday’s 3-0 home defeat by Tottenham.

    United have lost two of their first three Premier League games for the first time since 1992-93.

    However, senior figures at Old Trafford are convinced Mourinho can turn the situation around.

    Mourinho, 55, remained on the pitch to applaud fans after the game at Old Trafford and praised them in TV interviews.

    Asked about United’s defensive problems in the post-match news conference, he raised three fingers and said: “Do you know what this means? Yes, it means 3-0, but it also means three Premier Leagues – and I won more Premier Leagues alone than the other 19 managers put together. Three for me. Two for them.”

    As he got up to leave, Mourinho told a journalist: “Respect! Respect! Respect man!”

    The Portuguese last week said had “no problem” with United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward, amid reports that they have fallen out.

    Mourinho took over at United in 2016, winning the League Cup and the Europa League in his first season in charge, when they finished sixth in the Premier League.

    United were runners-up to Manchester City last season.

    He has won the Premier League three times with Chelsea and claimed two titles in Portugal, two in Italy and one in Spain as well as winning the Champions League twice.

    BBC

  • Jose Mourinho demands respect after Man Utd defeat

    Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho demanded “respect” from journalists and walked out of his news conference after the 3-0 Premier League home defeat by Tottenham.

    The defeat was Mourinho’s heaviest at home in his career, and he has now lost two of his first three league games for the first time.

    “I won more Premierships alone than the other 19 managers together,” Mourinho said. “Three for me and two for them.

    “Respect, respect, respect man.”

    Harry Kane’s header and two goals from Lucas Moura at Old Trafford maintained Tottenham’s 100% start to the season and lifted them to second in the table.

    Mourinho was involved in a tense news conference earlier in the week, arriving 30 minutes early, defending his relationship with executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward and leaving after four minutes and 19 seconds.

    The Portuguese has won more Premier League titles than the rest of the division’s current managers combined – he won three in two spells with Chelsea, while Pep Guardiola and Manuel Pellegrini won one each at Manchester City.

    Mourinho, who lifted his most recent Premier League crown three years ago, has also won two titles in Portugal, two in Italy and one in Spain, as well as winning the Champions League twice, and the Europa League with United in 2017.

    “You want to make the miracle of my team played so well and strategically we were so, so, so, so, so, so good and you want to try and transform this press conference into let’s blame the guy,” he said.

    Asked about United’s defending against Spurs, he said: “I am sorry. You have to tell me what is the most important thing because I don’t know.

    “When I win matches I come here many times and you are not happy that I win matches and you say the most important is the way of playing.”

    BBC

  • Mourinho defends tactics against Spurs

    Mourinho defends tactics against Spurs

    Jose Mourinho insists Manchester United did not lose 3-0 against Tottenham on Monday night because of his tactics, and says the whole team is fully united.

    Two goals from Lucas Moura and one from Harry Kane gave Spurs all three points at Old Trafford, meaning United have suffered two defeats from their opening three Premier League games for the first time since 1992.

    Mourinho made six changes after the 3-2 defeat by Brighton last weekend, but the manager says United won the game from both a strategic and tactical point of view, just not by the result.

    He told Sky Sports: “We work all week, and by the strategic point of view we didn’t lose, by the tactical point of view we didn’t lose, but we lost the game.

    “We work very, very well during the week, we prepared the game very well, we played very well, the players had a fantastic attitude.

    “At half-time the result should be two goals different minimum, 2-0, 3-1, 3-0. And then something changed the game a little bit. Then the result was 2-0 but the team was in the game, and I think everyone could feel one goal could change the direction of the game.

    “I think Tottenham felt it, we were feeling that too. But then the third goal came and killed the game.”

    Mourinho was also adamant that his side are united, praising the attitude of the side and saying the squad are also behind him.

    Mourinho spent over a minute in front of the Stretford End clapping the United fans, and praised a support he believes can see that his side are working for each other.

  • Mourinho denies rift with Man Utd’s vice-chairman

    Mourinho denies rift with Man Utd’s vice-chairman

    Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho said he has “no problems” with executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward, in a pre-match news conference missed by most of the media because the Portuguese arrived half an hour early.

    Mourinho spoke for four minutes and 19 seconds – much shorter than is normal – and said he had not read reports of a falling out between the two.

    “I don’t know 10% of what is written,” Mourinho said.

    “I’m not the right guy to answer.”

    When reminded that he had in the past always spoken about Woodward with respect, and asked if their relationship was still fine, he added: “Of course. No problems.”

    He was also asked whether reports of conflict were part of an “overreaction” to United’s 3-2 defeat by Brighton in the Premier League last weekend, to which Mourinho replied: “You are pessimistic, I am not.”

  • EPL: Mourinho blames Martial for Manchester United’s 4-1 loss to Liverpool

    EPL: Mourinho blames Martial for Manchester United’s 4-1 loss to Liverpool

    Manchester United manager, Jose Mourinho has criticised his winger, Anthony Martial for not returning to the club’s pre-season tour of the United States.

    Speaking after United were hammered 4-1 by rivals Liverpool in Michigan on Saturday night, the Portuguese made it clear that he is disappointed in Martial.

    Martial failed to return to US following the birth of his son.

    The French winger was given permission to fly from Los Angeles to Paris last week to witness the birth of his son with his girlfriend, Melanie Da Cruz.

    Mourinho said that he had “no right” to stop Martial from leaving United’s pre-season tour, though he had expected the 22-year-old to return much sooner.

    Martial’s son, Swan, was born on Thursday, and United played Liverpool in a pre-season friendly in Michigan on Saturday.

    The Red Devils were beaten 4-1 by Liverpool and Mourinho said afterwards that Martial should have re-joined the squad in time to play against Liverpool.

    He told MUTV, “Anthony Martial, he had the baby, and after the baby was born – beautiful baby, full of health, thank god – he should be here and he’s not here.

    “So we have Alexis [Sanchez] and [Juan] Mata to play every minute of every match. And now we have Real Madrid, and after that Bayern Munich.”